Accept Your Fate
by Karliah357
Summary: *ON HIATUS FOR NOW* A normal girl gets transported into the land of Ooo and must find out the secrets of the war, unlock her own potential, and discover what her role in this crazy new world is while she tries to learn about the insanity happening around her Finn calls "normal" and fights the evil overtaking her mind. FinnxOC
1. All That Glitters Isn't Gold

"I put the horses up. Need anything else Uncle Jasper?"

An older man with graying hair who had been hunched over the engine of an old car turned to her.

"You could light me a few lamps Melissa, the electricity went out again."

She nodded and retrieved a lighter from the tool shelf, using it to light a few oil lamps scattered around the shed.

"Still working on that old car?"

Her uncle laughed, his southern draw dragging out his words. "This is a 1966 Chevy Camero thank you, not just an old car."

"I know. I've helped you work on it."

"Just pickin' on ya. So how's school been treatin' ya?"

"Fine I guess. I have a big test after spring break ends and I kind of want to study out in the field before it gets dark."

"Oh…ok then. If ya wanna work on the car later…"

"We will, don't worry."

She stepped out of the shed and sighed, going to retrieve her backpack from the house. Sophomore year was turning out to be a real pain and she couldn't wait for it to be over. Especially since she didn't have any friends…

It wasn't like she couldn't make any. She was pretty, with waist length straight auburn hair and sparkly blue eyes. She never wore glasses or had bad acne and she was in shape, average height and thin. No, the real problem was she was rich.

Melissa Abagail Cartwright had money coming out of her ears. Her mother was the CEO of a company after all, so she was loaded. That didn't mean anything to her though…she just wanted friends that liked her for more than her money, and at the awkward age of sixteen not many people could look at her without seeing a giant green dollar sign. The ones that didn't were usually the ones who started rumors about her and made fun of her.

Grabbing a black backpack she exited her uncle's house and headed up a path she had walked hundreds of times to a spot on the hill she always went to sit. Without a father to turn to she found herself looking up to his brother, her uncle Jasper. When her father disappeared he stepped up as her father figure and she could never thank him enough for that. She must have been three when he walked out and vanished.

Taking a seat on an old fallen log she looked out over the Texas landscape. She loved her uncle's ranch so much. It may be dry and full of snakes but it was her refuge from the world. Here she wasn't "Little Miss Cartwright" or an awkward, lonely high school girl. Here she could relax and watch the sun vanish over the horizon without thinking about how her mother was never home, or how her sister was a stuck up attention loving snob. Here she could be at peace.

Until it got windy again. The gusts kicked up harsher than usual and sweept a layer of thick dirt over the landscape. She came here many times a year, so often she could practically see the erosion happening around her. Like how that old dead trees roots were showing, glittering in the high noon sun.

Except roots don't glitter in the sun.

"What the…"

Melissa walked cautiously up to the tree, the dead ashen thing barely managing to hang on to the soil on the end of the cliff. Something silver was shining between its old, brittle roots.

"A bracelet?"

She grabbed the small piece she could see and tugged it, causing the tree to wretch loose from the soil and tumble over the cliff. She leapt back as the ground became unstable to a safer distance and inspected her find.

It was a large silver ring with what looked like a sizable ruby at its center. It was way too big to be a bracelet, and Melissa thought it may fit on someone's head like a circlet or something.

"Heh…Ironic the rich kid finds something that looks priceless instead of someone who deserves it."

She placed it on her head, the gem setting in the center a little below her hairline. Tilting her head upwards the sunlight caught the gem and she could see the brilliant, colorful light it reflected.

Her awe turned into a scream as the blinding light engulfed her in a flash that left her surrounded by darkness.


	2. Mental Overload

"Oww…My eyes…"

Melissa sat up and rubbed her eyes, trying to force the colorful spots out of her vision. Without being able to see yet she felt around and found she was no longer on gritty Texas soil. Instead the ground felt like cobblestone that became suspiciously softer the longer she pressed her fingers into one spot until a chunk of it came up in her hand.

"Is this…peanut brittle?"

Forcing her eyes open she found herself in the center of a town, the moon at its peak in the sky even though moments earlier in had been twelve in the afternoon and sunny. Getting up she found she felt heavy and sluggish as she slowly wandered between the houses. Poking holes in walls and breaking apart things setting around she realized EVERYTHING was made of candy. That drainage pipe was chocolate, that wall licorice, that awning uniform pecan clusters. Stopping next to a white chocolate fence she placed her head in her hands and tried to take in deep breathes of the thick air.

"You're hallucinating Melissa…Maybe you hit your head, maybe you actually fell down that cliff like a reckless idiot and you're dying. Yeah that's it…must be uncon-"

"Halt! Are you one vandalizing the homes?"

She jumped out of her skin and turned to find herself face to face with a giant…

…half of a banana…with arms and legs… that could talk…holding a spear...

She stared at it dumbstruck until it prodded her with its spear.

"Are you?"

"I…I…I…WHAT?!"

In shock and horror she turned and ran as fast as her weighted body could carry her, more and more banana things giving chase as she ran through the town yelling at her to stop. Finally she came across a huge pink tree and sprinted through the door, slamming it behind her.

There was a fizzling noise as the music inside stopped playing, giving way to silence. Turning slowly she found herself gazing over a crowd of candy and baked goods, all of which had arms, legs, and faces as well, staring her down.

"Oh God…Please let me bleed to death or be eaten by coyotes soon…This is freaking me out…"

A tall woman who looked as though she were made of bubblegum stepped forward, followed closely behind by a blonde boy and a dog.

"Someone normal!"

The dog, walking upright, elbowed the boy to get his attention. "Looks like a looney came to crash the party."

"Talking…talking dog…Oh God…"

Melissa pitched forward as she blacked out.


	3. I'm Not In Texas Anymore

Melissa awoke to the bright lights of what looked like a hospital room. Hospital rooms weren't normally made out of candy though, and she looked over to see the gum woman, boy, and dog standing beside a giant chocolate ice cream cone wearing a doctor's coat and stethoscope.

"Good, you're awake. How do you feel?"

"Um…Fine…I think…"

She stared at the ice cream doctor unsure of how to address…her? Thankfully she took her leave and left Melissa alone with the other three strangers. The gum woman turned to her and spoke in a very formal, feminine voice.

"We have been waiting for your arrival Time Princess! I am Princess Bubblegum, ruler of the Candy Kingdom, and this is Finn and Jake."

"Time Princess? Me?"

"Yes, it has been foretold that a mighty ruler of time bearing a crown of silver and ruby shall appear in the name of good and justice! That's you! Oh, I have so much to ask you!"

"I-"

"What is it like? Where you are from?"

"Oh, uh…Texas is hot and dry while Florida is sunny and full of beaches?"

"How exciting! Where are these kingdoms located?"

"Um…They're states?"

"States?"

"Yeah, like states in the United States of America?"

"I haven't heard of this place?"

"Ok, hold up a minute and let's backtrack. I'm not a princess, especially not one who rules over time. I don't even know how I got here!"

"But you are wearing the circlet."

"So? That doesn't make me your prophetic princess-warrior!"

Princess Bubblegum looked at her uncertainly. "You have to be. Maybe you just need time to adjust to life here. I'm sure it is very different here in the past than it is in the future or vice versa."

A horrible realization crossed her mind as she sat up abruptly.

"I…I don't know how to get home!"

"How did you activate your power in the first place?"

"I don't have any power! I don't know what's going on…Uncle Jasper must be worried out of his mind…"

"I am sure he will understand you had to fulfill your purpose."

She sighed and hung her head. This was all very, very confusing…

Princess Bubblegum laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Until we get this all figured out why don't you stay with Finn? Maybe adventuring with them will help you uncover your purpose here."

Jake turned to Finn, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Man, having a chick at our place will cramp our style. Can't she just stay here with Bubblegum?"

"You heard PB, having Time Princess there could help her."

"This is stupid…"

Bubblegum turned to Melissa again.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here is your bag."

Melissa took her backpack and opened it, watching as Bubblegum suddenly became excited by the contents.

"Books from your world!"

"Yeah, they're my school textbooks. Do you want to borrow them? I don't exactly have a need for them at the moment…"

"Yes! Thank you!"

Melissa handed over literature, biology, algebra, history, and music history textbooks to Bubblegum before following Finn and Jake out of the hospital, sighing heavily at Jake's constant complaints.

She had to find a way back.


	4. A New Friend

Eventually Melissa found herself standing in front of a massive tree that seemed to have been hollowed out and built upon into a literal treehouse. Finn opened the door and her eyes widened as she was guided into an entry room filled with gold, gems, and assorted items she couldn't place. After that they climbed a wood ladder into a spacious living room area. He turned to her and grinned, revealing a gap missing a few teeth.

"Like our digs?"

She looked around at the boyish mess and strange decorations before turning back to him.

"Homey."

"Thanks! You can sleep on the couch, I'll grab some stuff."

Finn disappeared through a hole and Melissa looked around uncertainly. The house's layout didn't really make any sense from what she could see, but at least she only needed to know where a few rooms were. It was awkward intruding in their house.

Jake looked at her.

"Sooo…Ya hungry?"

"I guess so."

"BMO probably cooked something since we had to leave, you time traveling and all."

"Oh…sorry about that…"

She wondered who this BMO person was as the conversation fizzled out. Two arms grabbing her by the shoulders shocked her back into reality though, and she squeaked as she eyed an extremely excited Jake.

"So if you're the Time Princess, can you back in time and save Everything Burrito?"

"What?! No! I already told you people I'm not a princess!"

"Aww come on!"

Melissa shrugged him off and heard a laugh. Finn had returned with a pillow and blanket.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Haha you're really easy to surprise huh?"

"If you do unexpected things of course I'll be surprised!"

"Here Time-"

"For the last time, I am NOT a princess! Just call me Melissa."

"Ok, here Melissa."

Finn smiled and passed her the bedding before heading into the kitchen area.

"Woo! BMO made sassages!"

"Sassages?"

Peaking around the corner in confusion she saw an empty kitchen and a set table. Where was this 'BMO' person?

"Finn, those are sausages…"

"Yeah, sassages."

Shrugging she followed them to the table and they ate. Afterwards they declared it was late and time to sleep, so Melissa curled up on the couch as the boys vanished up that hole again. Having slept a long time already from passing out in shock earlier that day she wasn't particularly tired and quickly noticed the small footsteps heading through the room. She froze and looked around, suddenly finding the dark foreign room to be unnerving.

"Who's there?"

"Me!"

A small, green thing climbed up on the coffee table as she sat up to get a closer look.

"And you are?"

"I am BMO!"

"Oh, hello BMO."

"Are you staying with us?"

"For a little while I think..."

"Yay! A new friend!"

She smiled. He reminded her of a little kid and it made her feel more comfortable.

"You're kinda cute, you look like a really big GameBoy Color."

He slapped his hands against where his cheeks would be on his screen and little pink blush circles appeared.

"You think BMO is cute?!"

"Mhm."

"And I am a boy! And I play games, and I am a color! You are very nice!"

"Thank you BMO, I'm glad you think so."

"And I am glad you like conversations! Finn and Jake don't like conversations very much…"

"Ok then, I'll be your conversation buddy."

"Really?! Ok! Umm…"

"I'll start. Why did you cook for us and then run off?"

"Oh! I wanted to clean up the house so it would be nice for guests!"

"You're a surprisingly good host."

The two chatted for a while about random things that Melissa didn't really know how to explain, like when he asked what 'bitter' tasted like. Unable to experience three of the five senses himself she found herself explaining things like tastes, smells, and textures even though she didn't know how to. Eventually she felt her eyelids grow heavy and BMO took notice.

"Oh, you are tired. We stayed up late, like a sleepover!"

"Yeah, just like a sleepover."

"I will go then so you can sleep."

Melissa stopped him as he started to jump down.

"Would you mind staying in here?"

"Huh? Why?"

Melissa rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. She didn't want to admit this new world was scaring her senseless.

"Because…I…need a hero to watch over me and keep me safe."

BMO saluted her.

"Then I shall sleep here!"

He reached in a drawer nearby and retrieved a tiny pillow and blanket, making Melissa giggle. It was quite a sight and she realized he probably always slept on that table but was leaving to be courteous.

Laying down she finally began to fall asleep, pulling the blanket up to her chin to keep out the chilly draft in the room.


	5. Outsmarting The Ice King

Melissa slept heavily for a short while, dreaming she was flying. She awoke shivering from cold and tried to retrieve her blanket before realizing she was no longer on the couch. In fact, she was watching the tree house steadily grow smaller and farther away as she rose into the air.

"MMMMPH!"

She tried to scream and struggle but she found she was thrown over someone's shoulder, her mouth taped and hands bound. Whoever it was, their body was cold as though it couldn't retain heat.

Her abductor giggled as she tried to kick him, holding down her legs.

"No need to get feisty sweety, we'll be home soon."

Sweety? Great, some sick pervert just kidnapped her in an unfamiliar world. The landscape passing by underneath them seemed so foreign and yet so normal, but she was uncertain of if she would be able to make it back on her own if she escaped. If being the key word there.

They passed over a sudden change from summery green grass to snow, something that should be impossible in the natural world. Cold air blasted over her bare shoulders and seeped through her thin tank top as he carried her through an ice mountain pass to what she thought was another mountain, but upon entry turned out to be his home.

He took her over to a cage and sat her gently inside, closing the door and locking it.

"Welcome home."

"MMMPH! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

"Oh, haha silly me."

Reaching through the bars he ripped the tap off her mouth. She licked her chapped lips and scowled at him.

"WHY DID YOU KIDNAP ME?!"

"Kidnap you? What about our relationship Princess?"

"This AGAIN?! Who are you?!"

"I'm the Ice King. I figured, you know, since you're the new princess and all I think we should click and this would be a cool thing right?"

"NO Ice King. No. This is NOT cool. How did you even get me here?!"

"I flew. You know, with my beard."

"With…your beard…"

"Yeah, it's a wizard thing."

"Wizard?"

"Pretty cool huh?"

"I don't believe you."

"WHAT?"

"If you were a REAL wizard you'd be able to break these ropes tying my hands with your 'powers'."

"That's easy, watch me!"

He lifted his hands as they glowed with a blue light, zapping the ground behind her. A large ice spike began to form and shot upward, slicing the rope and allowing her hands to fall free. She was impressed by the fact magic apparently did exist in this world, but he didn't need to know that.

"Believe me now?" He asked cockily.

"Yep, you are definitely a real wizard."

"Hot right?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Actually, I'm freezing. Could you get me a blanket?"

"Of course! I'll be right back Princess!"

He disappeared around a corner and Melissa began searching around frantically for a way out. The bars of the cell were solid ice as hard as rock, but she kicked at them anyway. After that she snapped the spike of the floor and tried it, but the effort proved futile when it shattered against the bars. She leaned with her back against the wall and slid down to the ice floor. Freezing she shoved her hands into her pockets for warmth and felt warm metal.

"Oh!"

She withdrew her uncles lighter from her pocket. She must have put it there without realizing it and it was possibly the luckiest break she had since she arrived here.

Leaping up she rushed to the bars. They were far enough apart she could squeeze through if she could just remove one…

"Here, I found you a blanket sweety!"

She hurriedly shoved the lighter back into her pocket, her heart pounding. She needed to distract him a little bit longer…

"Oh, um, thank you."

She started to take the blanket from him and realized it was filthy. Raising an eyebrow she crossed her arms and looked at him sternly.

"Is…something wrong?..."

"Seriously? THIS blanket is fit for a princess?"

"It's-"

"Disgusting! If you truly cared for me you would at least provide me with a CLEAN blanket."

"Alright! Fine! I get your point! Sheesh, women are so high maintenance."

He went into another room and she pulled the lighter from her pocket again, striking the flint and holding the flame against the bar. It melted rapidly and soon she managed to finally break the bar off and squeeze through the opening it made. After that she ran out the front entrance into the bitter, chilled winds of the Ice Kings domain.


	6. The Second Day

Melissa finally pushed open the door to the tree house with a sigh. Shuffling back to the couch she found BMO standing in the middle of the room looking at her in shock.

"Melissa! The Ice King kidnapped you, how did you escape?!"

"He isn't particularly intelligent, it wasn't hard."

"Finn and Jake went to save you!"

"Well they were too slow. I'm exhausted BMO, can't we talk about this in the morning?"

Curling up on the couch she quickly fell asleep after her long cold trek. Finn and Jake returned noisily while she was sleeping prompting BMO to shush them.

"When did she get back?!"

"About an hour ago."

"Hmm…"

Finn and Jake headed back to bed. Jake turned to him after he curled up in his drawer.

"Maybe she really is that warrior princess Bubblegum was talking about."

"I guess so…whatever she is she seems a lot stronger than she looks."

"I still think she should save Everything Burrito."

"She can't time travel Jake, she told us that."

Jake muttered while Finn stared up at the ceiling.

"…What's on your mind?"

"Is she like, really human?"

"Woah man, you aren't stuck on that are you?"

"I mean, I've never met another completely human person before…I wonder if she is…"

"Then ask her man."

"I just…I don't know, wouldn't that be-"

"Dude, just take her somewhere awesome, show her our world, and then ask her. I gotta see Lady tomorrow."

"Cool, we'll take her to see Lady then."

"Cool."

The two rolled over.

"Wait what?! Finn, are you already asleep man?!"

The next day the three set off to see Lady Rainicorn. Melissa didn't know what to expect, and frankly nothing else could surprise her anymore. Jake didn't seem too happy about it but at least he wasn't trying to get her to time travel. Finn seemed strange, getting this really far off look in his eyes when he stared at her, which was becoming an awkwardly common occurrence.

They arrived at a cute house and Jake knocked. Melissa stared as a long, cylindrical rainbow-colored horse thing with a horn answered the door. She looked up and greeted them in formal Korean.

Melissa looked at her questioningly. "You speak Korean?"

Lady looked confused and Jake glanced at her as if she were ignorant.

"No, she speaks the language of the Rainicorns."

"She's speaking Korean."

"Ok smart one, what is Korean?"

"It's the language of Korea? Oh that's right…those countries don't exist here…"

Melissa suddenly looked up from the ground.

"Wait, you speak Korean but Korea doesn't exist right?"

"Dude, I don't even know what you're talking about."

"Then that means I must be from the past."

A light bulb seemed to go off in Finn's head.

"Oh I see, we think this is Rainicorn language because where it comes from really is gone."

"That's the only explanation I have for it."

Jake looked pointedly at Finn, who seemed to remember something.

"Oh yeah, come on Melissa I want to show you some stuff."


	7. Unexpected Changes

Finn walked Melissa through an open field, kicking a rock as he went.

"So what did you want to show me?"

"There's a cool lake over here, it's got mermaids in it."

"Mermaids are real here too?"

"Lots of things are real here."

Melissa looked up at the sky contemplatively. Finn took a deep breath and decided to get to the point.

"Are you human?"

She looked at him confused.

"Well, yeah."

"You uh, don't have gills?"

"Gills? Why would I have gills?"

"Oh, haha just checking…"

Finn looked away slightly embarrassed. Melissa looked him over.

"Is it because you have gills?"

"No, I don't have gills…"

"Then why did you ask?"

"I…I've never seen another human before…I found people I thought were human but they were fish people…"

"Really?! There's no humans left?!"

"Everyone tells me humans are extinct and I'm the last one…"

"That's impossible! There were so many people…"

"How many humans were there?"

"Over seven billion!"

"Seven billion?! Uh…how much is that?"

"That would be, like, if every blade of grass in this field was a person!"

"That's a lot!"

Melissa sank to the ground.

"Everyone is dead…replaced by weird creatures…"

"Melissa? Are you ok?"

"Everyone…"

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face,

"What happened to this world?"

Finn opened his mouth but his attention was drawn to a crash in a crop of trees nearby. A large creature appeared that kind of resembled an ogre, only he was red instead of the traditional green. The ogre-thing roared at Finn as he drew his sword.

"Melissa, stay here! I'll protect you!"

The thing rushed Finn as Melissa just sat there, her face tear stained as she watched the fight. Finn was doing fine until the thing grabbed him in his huge hand and tried to squish him, making him drop his sword. He was barely able to keep the hand from crushing him while Melissa jumped to her feet and turned in the direction of Lady's house.

"JAKE! JAKE WE NEED HELP! HELP!"

The house was too far though. Melissa knew this as she turned back to Finn and watched his face turn red from his struggle. She contemplated running to get Jake but she knew she wouldn't make it in time.

"What do I do?! What do I-"

Her eyes fell on Finn's sword, the blood red Celtic hilt and blade gleaming in the sunlight. Without hesitation she retrieved it and turned toward the ogre. It wasn't paying attention to her, too focused on trying to crush Finn and giving her an opening to rush forward. She leapt into the air and easily sliced the ogre's arm off with a clean downward slice, the heavy appendage hitting the ground and allowing Finn to roll free from its dismembered hand. Landing gracefully on the ground she stared at the sword in her hands in disbelief.

She could never jump that high, and she didn't have the strength to cut through bone like that.

"Melissa look out!"

Finn barely managed to push her out of the way as the ogre took a swing at her with his other hand. He turned to them angrily holding his arm.

"What is your problem woman?! That boy was mine! Do you know how long it's been since I've eaten?!"

Finn took his sword back from her and squared up to the beast.

"You are not eating ANYONE."

"Fine, I didn't want to share but oh well."

He let out a shriek and three more ogres in varying shades of red appeared. Finn looked at Melissa as the four approached. She looked back with eyes as big as saucers.

"Should…Should we run?!"

"Yes!"

The two turned and began sprinting away from the pack of ogres. Eventually they found themselves at a sheer cliff facing, backed into a corner.

"Dinner time boys!"

Melissa glared at them.

"Why do you want to eat us?!"

"We got sick of fruit and stuff, we want some meat!"

Finn looked over the edge and then turned to her.

"Melissa, do you trust me?"

"We are NOT jumping off a cliff."

"Do you trust me?"

Looking back at the ogres she sighed.

"I trust you."

Finn grabbed her shoulders as she wrapped her arms tightly around his chest, shutting her eyes as he leaned backwards sending both of them over the edge of the cliff.


	8. Oxygen

The wind rushed past them as they fell until something wrapped around them both, stopping them like bungee cords. Opening her eyes she let out a little shriek when she realized Jake was riding on Lady's back and using his arms as lassos.

"F-Finn! You didn't tell me Jake was there, or that he could do THAT!"

"Yeah, but that wouldn't have been funny."

Finn laughed and she punched his arm hard. She could hear Jake above them giggling.

"Your face was hilarious! It was all 'ahh! I'm so scared!'"

"I hate you guys."

They both laughed as Lady flew them back to her home. Melissa stared at the ground as she dangled from Jake's arm.

Back on solid land Melissa went to have tea with Lady. She knew some Korean from going on trips there with her mother so she could carry on a basic conversation with Lady who seemed to enjoy having another girl to talk to. Finn and Jake were outside talking.

"So how did the conversation with Melissa go?"

"She said there was like, tons of humans like her before."

"Weird man."

"I wonder what happened to everyone. That information really messed her up."

Melissa appeared in the doorway.

"Take me to the Candy Kingdom."

"Why?"

"Because I need answers and I want to go home."

She didn't say anything else as they said goodbye to Lady and headed out. Soon after they found themselves walking into Bubblegum's castle.

Bubblegum looked up from her lab equipment as the three entered the room, Melissa's face very serious.

"Melissa, how are you enjoying-"

"Cut the crap!"

"Excuse me?"

"What happened to everyone?! Why are all the humans gone? Why is it that here I'm faster and stronger than I should be? I sliced an arm off an OGRE today! I shouldn't be able to do that! What is going on here?!"

Bubblegum slowly turned to her and sighed. "I was hoping you were from the future and not the past…"

Melissa was screaming now.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"…Finn…Jake…Step out please."

The boys looked at each other in concern and left the room. Bubblegum pulled another chair up for Melissa to sit in.

"You may want to sit down for this."

Once the two were seated across from each other Bubblegum began her story.

"Almost one thousand years ago there was a nuclear fallout. It destroyed life and civilization as you know it, including most of the human population. The lands became so irradiated that entirely new species were created from the biological reconstruction of the environment. Over time the human race died out, and the only person left is Finn."

"But…Why?"

"That I do not know. Myself and the candy race came into existence after the war was already over, so we have no idea how it started."

"I…I guess you wouldn't…"

"I do, however, know why you are stronger here. The shifting of the environments completely redesigned much of the chemical makeup of this planet. One major and noticeable change that I've realized from studying your books is that the air contains a massive amount of oxygen gas as well as other elements now than it did in your time period. This, coupled with the minor radiation still present, is why you have superior abilities compared to what you were capable of prior to your arrival here."

"That must be why I felt so heavy and why it was so hard to breathe when I first got here…"

"Correct."

"But I don't really feel any different…"

"Regardless, the radiation is still having an effect on you much like it has had on Finn."

"How do you know?"

"You're hair. You've only been here forty-eight hours and it has already grown to your knees. Finn has a similar rate of growth due to the minor radiation."

Melissa hadn't even realized how long her hair had grown because of how rushed her experience in this world had been. She felt like she had uncovered more than she ever wanted to know in a lifetime in just a few short days.

"Do you know a way I can get home?"

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that question."

Melissa removed the circlet from her head and inspected it.

"Could you?..."

"I will study it and see what I can find out. Oh, and please…don't tell Finn or Jake any of this. It isn't something they need to know and frankly it will just depress Finn."

"I understand…"

"I'm sorry I couldn't be more informative…"

"No, thank you. You've been a huge help…and please, call me Melissa."

"Of course. It is a good thing though. Well…at least the superhuman part. You should be at least half as strong as Finn right off the bat since he has experience and practice on his side, but that also makes you tougher than most of the creatures here in Ooo."

"Ooo…So that's what you call this place…"

"Yes…please make yourself comfortable. Spend time with Finn and get to know the land more, you may like it here."

"As much as I doubt that, I'll try…"


	9. Mission From PB

A couple weeks later Melissa found herself standing in front of the bathroom mirror. She found it necessary to cut her hair every week or so and she decided to trim it shoulder length since it would get longer soon enough. The growth rate of her hair seemed to have slowed over time as her body adjusted to the new environment she needed to live in. Finn had been extremely kind, introducing her to new people and showing her the oddities of his world.

She had just finished snipping the last auburn strands when she heard the phone ring. Coming back into the living room she barely caught the tail end of the conversation.

"We'll look into it PB."

Finn hung up the phone and turned to her. Jake had been absentmindedly playing games on BMO.

"PB wants us to look into some weird stuff happening in the forest."

"Weird stuff?"

"Like animals wailing on people for no reason stuff."

Jake looked up from his game.

"Can't we leave after I finish this level?"

"Nah man, there's evil going down. We gotta take care of this."

Jake got up with a sigh while Finn got his backpack. Melissa walked back to the couch where her things were, retrieving her bag and the sword Finn had given her after the ogre incident.

Once they were ready they headed to a woodland area near the wastelands.

"Did PB mention why the animals are acting up?"

"Nope, she just said that she wanted us to capture one so she can study it. Something about rabies."

"Great." She said sarcastically. This world was crazy enough without rabies thrown into the mix.

They entered the forested area and immediately encountered a strange atmosphere. The air was heavy as though it was made of smoke and the shadows almost seemed to move away from their line of sight as they searched the area. Jake shivered.

"This place feels wrong…"

"It's heavy like the air is trying to strangle us…"

"And the shadows are running away…"

Finn shrugged at them. "Eh, it's just a creepy forest."

They headed deeper in, the sunlight disappearing as the foliage grew thicker and more twisted. Melissa stopped and looked at the boys, whispering.

"Do you hear that?"

"I don't hear anything."

"Exactly…No birds, nothing."

Stepping into a particularly sinister clearing Finn decided it was time to call Bubblegum. He pulled the holocrystal out from under his shirt and phoned her as they walked.

"Hey PB, we've been here a couple hours and haven't seen any animals at all, what gives?"

"Ther….ferance…whe….inn?"

"You're cutting out."

"…hind…u!...Familiar!"

The transmission stopped as the boys were suddenly strung up into a net high above the ground from seemingly nowhere as if the rope and whatever it dangled from were invisible.

"Finn! Jake! Are you two ok?!"

"Look out Mel! Behind you!"


	10. The Familiar

She spun around just in time to dodge the fist of a large black creature. It looked like a cross between a bear and a deer. Jake's eyes grew wide as he tried to break through the net.

"That's a witch's familiar! Be careful Mel!"

Melissa drew the simple steel blade from her back and inspected her opponent. The creature was all black with solid white eyes, its body that of a bear with thick deer legs and antlers upon its bear-like head. Upon closer inspection she realized its hooves were not normal split hooves but two claws.

She tried to work her way around the creature in an effort to free the boys who were jammed in a net too small to allow for the movement necessary to escape. The familiar leapt in front of her, blocking her path and forcing her backwards.

"Fight it Mel!"

Melissa looked at Finn wide-eyed.

"I-I can't!"

"Yes you can!"

The familiar rushed her, forcing her to bring up the blade and block. The force sent her sliding backwards a good three feet.

"Fight Melissa!"

"Finn, I can't fight this thing!"

"If you keep saying that then you won't be able to!"

"H-huh?"

"Don't be afraid Mel! Just try your hardest and never give up, that's how a true hero fights! I believe in you!"

"I…Ok!"

Melissa nodded and raised her sword with a new look of determination. The beast snarled and charged at her as she sidestepped and stabbed the blade into its shoulder. Letting out a howl it managed to claw at her, barely tearing her jeans above the knee as she jumped backwards. Her downward swing was caught by its claws and deflected, forcing her to attack it with a punch instead. She managed to hit it square in its huge, milk-white eye, sending it reeling long enough for her to ram her shoulder into its stomach and knock it out cold. Breathing hard she fell backwards and stared at the familiar until she was positive it was unconscious.

"Nice one Mel!"

She looked over to see the boys giving her thumbs up. Hurrying back to them she sliced the net and it fell apart as though it had been made of powder, dumping them onto the ground below.

Jake shook his head.

"There is some nasty witch magic going on around here. We should leave and tell Bubblegum."

"Aww come on man, let's find this witch and kick her butt!"

"I don't think that's such a good idea man, remember last time we ran into a witch?"

"If you had just told her you were sorry you wouldn't have been a manbaby for so long."

"That's not the point! Witches are BAD NEWS."

"We can handle it."

Finn walked forward oozing confidence and Melissa sighed at his headstrong demeanor. They traveled deeper into the forest, running into groups of animals now that attacked them with blank, unfeeling eyes. They knocked them out one after another every time a wave of them hit until they reached the base of a massive tree with an iron door set in between two gargantuan roots.

"This must be where the witch lives."


	11. The Mind Witch

Jake expanded his hands and pushed the door open easily. The inside looked nothing like a tree, and it felt as though they had stepping into a large mansion instead. The front foyer consisted of tall stone pillars and a winding spiral staircase ascending upwards as far as the eye could see.

"YEEAAHH!"

Jake began stretching with Melissa and Finn on his back up the stairs. They seemed to wind upwards forever, doors continually passing by one after another. A red one with scratches on it, a cell filled with bones, a yellow door with howling wind echoing behind it, a glass door holding back a flood of papers…

"Jake, stop for a moment."

"I don't think it's a good idea to go through these doors…The witch should be at the top."

"I won't go in, just get me a little bit closer."

Jake complied and Melissa inspected some of the papers through the glass.

"Woah…"

"What?"

"Some of these papers are in German, and they look extremely old…"

"Can you read German?"

"Unfortunately not, but it looks like some kind notice…its dated June 19, 1603."

"Anything else?"

"I think it's for someone named Merga…"

"WOAH!"

The stairs began moving, sending them flying up as though they were on a rollercoaster. It stopped abruptly and sent them rolling dazed into some kind of observatory.

**Who dares speak my name?**

Melissa felt fear course through her veins. Finn stood up and looked around the strange room.

"Where are you witch?!"

**You shall see what I wish for you to see.**

Melissa's hands shook. They couldn't see the witch, but she could. Her lips weren't moving.

**Ah, young blood. So simple minded…You will make a wonderful addition to my collection of ingrediants.**

Melissa watched as the witch, her body slumped over a cane she held in her hands, brushed her long black hair over her shoulder. She looked like she couldn't be older than fifty.

Lifting her cane she pointed it at Jake.

**Collect the boy.**

Jake's face and eyes blanked, becoming completely emotionless. Turning he wrapped his arms around Finn and quickly secured him in place so the witch could approach him. As she did she allowed herself to be seen, Finn's eyes focusing on her. Melissa was helpless to do anything but watch and cower.

"What did you do to Jake?!

**You are not as simple minded as your dog, you will take some effort child.**

"What…are you…"

Finn's face blanked, devoid of emotion much like Jake's. Melissa leapt to her feet and backed away from the witch as Jake released Finn, the two turning towards her.

"Finn? Jake?! Snap out of it!"

**It is a shame you and your companion have such strong minds. Now I must kill you instead of preserving you. It isn't a total loss; I can't have you around since you almost destroyed my Dear. Bear-Deer familiars are very powerful.**

Finn and Jake lumbered towards her. Finn seemed to be resisting though, his pace slower than Jake's and his hands suspending in a mid-drawing motion reaching for his blade but staying in place. Shakily she drew her own sword and stood frozen. Although the witch couldn't fully control her she still had an effect.

"Stay away! Please…please stop!"

**It is pointless. Just accept your fate.**

She regained control over Finn. He drew his sword and swung at her, breaking her blade in half with his demon blood sword. Trembling she shut her eyes tightly and waited for the deciding blow. The witch was right…she should just-

_Don't be afraid Mel! Just try your hardest and never give up, that's how a true hero fights! I believe in you!_

Finn's words from earlier echoed in her mind.

"No!"

**What?!**

The witches eyes widened in shock as Melissa broke free from her mental binding, sidestepping the next swing from Finn and ducking under a punch from Jake, sprinting towards the witch.

**GET HER! NO!**

Melissa reached her and punched her, grabbing her cane. The two struggled to keep ahold of it until it snapped. Shots of magic spewed into the air.

One hit Melissa directly in her left eye, causing her to scream and drop to the ground. Her head pounded as though someone were ripping apart her brain in her skull, blood pouring from her nose and dripping from her eye.

**Foolish girl.**

By the time she could collect her senses Finn and Jake had her by the arms, dragging her up to face the witch.

**Any last words?**


	12. Consequences

Melissa forced her left eye open so she could look directly into the witch's eyes.

"Why are you doing this?"

**So I can use you young people in a few potions I wish to concoct.**

"Why don't you just let us go?!"

**Ok.**

The witch released Finn and Jake, who blinked rapidly. Melissa stared in confusion as the witch made a shooing motion at them.

"HYAH!"

Finn kicked her, sending her flying into a mass of bottles. He probably would have continued to attack if not for Melissa swaying and falling over. The last thing she remembered was a loud crash and someone scooping her up off the ground.

She must not have been out too long because she awoke sometime later riding on Morrow with PB, Finn, and Jake. Jake had stretched out into a kind of cot for her to lay on while Finn hovered over her.

"Oh glob! Mel, there's blood all over your face!"

Melissa reached up weakly and touched her cheek, withdrawing her fingers to find them stained with fresh blood. Looking up with her good eye she watched Finn panic. Bubblegum looked over her shoulder at them.

"We're almost to the Candy Kingdom. You three BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE FOR CHALLENING A WITCH."

She felt Jake stiffen beneath her and mumble, "We're in trouble…"

Morrow landed outside the Candy Kingdoms general hospital. A few candy nurses helped load Melissa up on a stretcher so they could rush her into the critical care unit. At some point she must have passed out again since she woke up much later, a thick bandage covering her left eye and her face clean.

She sat up and looked around, finding no sign of anyone. She got out of bed and gave herself a once over. Everything seemed to be order other than the bandaging, and it seemed her head didn't hurt anymore. At that point an ice cream bar nurse entered the room and gasped.

"You shouldn't be out of bed!"

"It's ok, where is Bubblegum?"

"Back at the castle, why?"

"Thanks."

She left, the nurse still calling after her to go lay down. Soon she found herself roaming around the castle searching for everyone. She passed by a few rooms and figured the yelling coming from the lab was a good place to start. Pushing the door open she found Finn and Jake slinking away slowly from an extremely angry princess.

"And if you think you can just bust into a witch's lair without any consequences YOU TWO ARE IDIOTS! You may have gotten Melissa killed! You're lucky THAT was all that happened!"

"What happened?"

All three froze as Melissa spoke. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears.

"M-Melissa, you should be in bed-"

"What happened to me?..."

"Please, come in and I'll show you."

Bubblegum pulled up a hologram whiteboard, showing her a few models of the brain and other things she didn't understand.

"When the magic from that cane hit your eye it was absorbed into your brain. You now have some of the witch's magic in your head."

"Can't you just get it out?"

"I'm afraid not…the power has bonded with your brain, it's a part of you know. Attempting to remove it would kill you."

"So…what does this mean?"

"Well, I'm uncertain if there are any consequences yet, but there's no way of knowing exactly what this magic will do to you. There are many outcomes."

"Who was that person anyway?"

"Merga, the Mind Witch. She uses her powers to manipulate people and force them to fight for her, among other things, using manipulations of the mind."

"Mind control?"

"Simply put, yes."

"Is it dangerous? The magic inside me?"

"No, not in such a small amount as that. We will do a few tests to see exactly what changes have been made, though I doubt anything serious will come of it."

Melissa sighed and looked around the lab. She approached a small mirror hung on the wall not far away and reached for her bandage, carefully pealing it off and revealing her closed left eye. She took a moment to focus on her right one, the same sparkly blue it had always been, before opening her left eye.

She let out a gasp when instead of blue she found herself looking into a green iris. The color was deep and hypnotic, almost ethereal in how unnatural and other-worldly the shade was. Looking back at the others she received a similar reaction.

Princess Bubblegum inspected her eye closely.

"Complete Heterochromia. Odd side effect…"

Melissa looked back into the mirror and wondered what other odd side effects having witches magic in her brain may cause.


	13. A New Ability

Princess Bubblegum turned to address everyone.

"Please, stay in the castle tonight. I want to make sure nothing else has happened to the three of you. Cinnamon Bun!"

A slightly off-looking giant cinnamon bun appeared in the doorway.

"Yes Princess?"

"Prepare rooms for our guests please."

"Yes Princess."

Melissa turned to PB, who smiled apologetically.

"He's half-baked."

"Oh, uh…Ok…"

The four stood in awkward silence until Bubblegum clapped her hands together.

"Well, time to get ready for bed everyone!"

They left and headed to their rooms. Melissa needed some time alone to think, taking a long bath once she reached her room.

She found herself standing in front of the bathroom mirror. She had been drying her hair, but distracted by her eye she stopped and simply stared.

"What are you doing here Melissa? You don't belong in this world…You should be trying to find a way home…But you don't want to…"

Shaking her head she sighed. She needed food.

Leaving her room she started through the quiet halls. By now everyone was probably asleep and she could sneak something from the kitchen. Surprised to find the light on she peaked inside and spotted Finn eating a sandwich at one of the counters.

"Midnight snack?"

He jumped and spun around.

"I thought you were Bubblegum, you scared me!"

"Got any more of those?"

"Yeah, I made another one but you can have it."

She sat at the counter beside him and accepted the sandwich. After a small silence Finn turned to her.

"Are you mad at me?"

"For what?"

"For wanting to fight the witch."

She shrugged. "Not really. Fighting is kind of your thing."

"You got hurt though…"

Melissa looked at Finn a bit surprised.

"Are you…blaming yourself for this? Jeez Finn I've only known you a few weeks and I know that isn't like you."

"Haha, yeah…I guess it isn't."

She grinned at him.

"Pretty good for my first real fight huh?"

"Eh, it was ok."

He grinned back and they both laughed. After finishing their food they headed back to bed for the night.

The next morning Bubblegum called them all into a room to experiment with the magic locked in Melissa's brain. She had herself, Finn, Jake, Cinnamon Bun, and Tree Trunks lined up against the wall. She made Melissa do various tasks with a weird sensor filled helmet on until she seemed convinced she was getting somewhere.

"Ok, first I need you to issue a command Melissa."

"Jump in the air."

Nothing.

"Hmm…Ok, now phrase it as a question."

"Could you jump in the air?"

Tree Trunks began jumping immediately. Bubblegum turned to her.

"Tree Trunks, why are you jumping?"

"I'm not really sure, I just felt like it all of a sudden."

She stopped jumping.

"Hmm…I think I'm starting to understand now. Everyone look at Melissa's eye when she issues her next command in the form of a question."

"Can I get a round of applause?"

Jake, Cinnamon Bun, and Tree Trunks began clapping with gusto.

"Alright, I have the full picture."

Everyone stopped.

"Melissa, you have absorbed a little bit of the witch's power. Not much, but enough to have minimal abilities related to hers."

Jake pointed at her. "Does this make her a witch?!"

"No, the power is just in her brain. She has no control over it so she isn't a witch."

"Oh…"

"Back to what I was saying, Melissa, you have the power of suggestion."

She blinked. "Suggestion?"

"It seems that if you make eye contact with a weak minded person and give them a suggestion, not an order, their brain registers it as a conscious thought and they do it of their own free will. However, if something distracts them they stop."

"That's why it wasn't affecting you and Finn right?"

"Correct. We have stronger minds than them."

Jake crossed his arms. "Hey!"

"So that's it?"

"Yep. Seems like this is the only major effect the magic will have on you."

She sighed in relief. "That's great news."

Jake huffed. "Can we go home now? I'm tired of experiments."

"Yeah, just make sure you contact me if anything weird happens."

The three left and headed back towards the tree house, Finn walking happily ahead of them with a huge smile on his face. Melissa leaned towards Jake.

"Why is he so happy?"

"Probably cause he gets to go see Flame Princess again."

"Flame Princess?"

"That's his girlfriend."

"I assume she's made of fire?"

"Yep, it's weird man. Most whacked up relationship I've seen, they can't even touch each other."

"Weird. So I guess it's just us playing Adventure Dungeon today?"

"Bingo, and this time I'M winning."

"In your dreams Jake, all I ever did in my spare time was game. And watch anime. But mostly game."

"I don't know what anime is, but it sounds like you didn't have much of a life."

"Shut up Jake."


	14. Lady & Peebles

Early one morning Melissa was awakened by the phone ringing. Rolling slowly off the couch she wandered to the phone and answered it tiredly.

"Finn?"

"It's Melissa. Peebs it's like five in the morning…"

"I know but we have semi-urgent situation I want the three of you to look into."

"Semi-urgent?"

"A black ice cave appeared in the Ice Kingdom overnight, I need to know what he's up to."

"This couldn't have waited like, three more hours?"

"Melissa!"

"Ok, ok I'll wake them up and we'll go."

Hanging up she dragged herself up the rickety ladder to the boy's room. There was a reason Jake always stretched Finn up there, that stupid thing was horrible to climb. Entering the room she screamed when Finn in his pajamas and Jake jumped at her.

"WHAT THE HELL GUYS?!"

"Sorry, we thought you were an intruder. What are you doing up here anyway?"

"Bubblegum called, she wants us to look into a black ice cave in the Ice Kingdom."

Jake groaned. "This couldn't have waited three more hours?"

"My sentiments exactly."

Finn shrugged. "If she called this early then it must have been urgent."

Melissa left so Finn could get dressed and collected her bag. She hadn't managed to get a replacement sword yet and hoped it wouldn't turn out to be a problem as they left for the Ice Kingdom. Eventually they reached the black ice cave and Jake stretched them through the opening at the top. Finn took in a deep breath and yelled.

"ICE KING! WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?"

They continued further inwards, the cave walls becoming redder. Melissa stared at the strange sinew-like things strung across from each wall and gagged slightly. They seemed…fleshy…

"ICE KING- Woah!"

Finn drew his sword at some unseen force. Melissa herself then felt something warm and disgusting brush over her shoulder, making her spin to face empty blackness. Jake stopped moving.

"Did you feel something?"

"Y-Yeah, what was that?"

Melissa carefully removed her uncle's lighter from her pocket and struck a flame, almost dropping it from the shock of realizing the room wasn't full of sinew-like things. It was full of arms!

She snapped the lighter shut and shoved it into her pocket just as one grabbed at her, seizing her wrist and almost managing to pull her off of Jake's back. Similar ones were slapping at Jake's eyes and had ahold of Finn's arms as well. They tried to fight them off as Melissa and Finn where pulled from Jake's back and dropped into the dark abyss below them.

"Hang on guys!"

Jake pulled free and shrunk so he could fall after them, following their screams and just barely managing to grab them both and cushion them before they hit the ground.

Sitting up they looked around and tried to collect their bearings. It was so dark they couldn't even see each other.

"Welcome Finn and Jake. I see you brought a friend."

Melissa felt the two of them move away from her in the dark. Now she couldn't tell were anyone was, and based on what they were saying they couldn't tell either.

"That voice sounds familiar…"

"As it should boy."

"Ricardio?!"

"Indeed. Now, I'm afraid I'll have to play a little game with you two to get my darling Princess over here…"

Jake's scream echoed through the darkness, followed by a loud thunk and a whimper.

"JAKE?! JAKE! WHAT DID YOU DO TO JAKE?!"

"You should be more worried about yourself."

Finn's scream then echoed through the cave, followed by weak muttering Melissa could barely hear. She spun around in the darkness trying to find their assailant, wondering what horrible thing he did to them.

"Where are you?!"

"Right here Melissa."

Something picked her hair up off of her shoulder. She turned and swung, her fist moving through nothing but air.

"How do you know my name?!"

"I know everything Simon knows."

"Simon?"

"Well, you know him as the Ice King."

"Who are you to him?"

"Our relationship is, for lack of a better term, complex."

A light fizzled on overhead, revealing they were actually in a small room after falling through the hole above. The walls and floor were covered with a fleshy substance and she cringed when Ricardio came into view.

He was a heart, a stereotypically drawn heart with a disturbingly realistic face that had arms and legs attached to him with strange showing muscles.

"What ARE you?!"

"I was Simon's heart, but if you ever see me again…"

He pulled a canister from behind his back and opened it, slamming the mouth of the can into her face while slipping a rope around her head. As it fell against her chest she screamed, her throat and body burning as though she had been dipped in acid. Slipping into unconsciousness she saw Ricardio grinning above her.

"…I will be Princess Bubblegum's groom."

_Daddy, where are you going?_

_To visit your uncle sweetheart, I'll be back in time for your birthday._

_But I don't want you to go…_

_I promise I'll be back. I wouldn't miss my baby's fourth birthday._

_Ok, but don't take too long…_

_I won't Melissa. I love you baby, so very much._

Melissa awoke and squinted into the bright lights. It had been a long time since she had that dream…

"RICARDIO IS BACK HE'S IN THE BLACK ICE CAVE AND HE'S BEEN TALKING HARDCORE!"

She turned and looked at Finn, who had shot up yelling as Bubblegum walked past him.

"I know Finn, and he poisoned you both with Zanoits and I took care of it."

"What happened, how did we get here?"

"I dragged you all here on Lady's back. It took two days, and then another day to make you guys an antidote, and then fifteen minutes to build the Ice King a new heart."

The Ice King grinned and giggled as Bubblegum separated his beard hair to show off his new heart. "Hey Finn. Oohehe!"

"I made it out of Ricardio's sinews, and some toffee and maracas."

Standing up the Ice King laughed and danced, shaking his maraca heart.

"Rrrrrrrayhi! Cuchi cuchi cuchi!"

"I'm glad you guys are up. Please make the Ice King leave."

"Shuca shuca shuca!"

"ICE KING PLEASE LEAVE!"

PB went behind a curtain as Finn, Jake and Melissa let out a collective sigh, getting up slowly and moving towards the Ice King's stretcher.

"I wonder how long we've been out…"

The Ice King looked at Melissa and shrugged.

"I dunno, about three weeks probably."

"THREE WEEKS?!"

She was about to say something else when the curtain opened and Lady appeared. She looked teary eyed and bedraggled as she moved towards Jake. Melissa barely understood the Korean as they spoke.

"Jake!"

"Lady! Oh Lady!"

"There's something I need to tell you, something important…I…I'm pregnant!"

"I'm…puppies?!"

Jake promptly fainted, forcing Finn to catch him. Melissa grabbed the Ice King's arm and shuffled him out of the room.

"Wait! It's just getting good!"

"OUT!"

After that Finn and Melissa returned home alone, letting Jake escort Lady home once he regained consciousness.


	15. Marceline The Vampire Queen

"Marceline is back from her trip, she wants us to come over for a jam session."

Melissa, who had been lying on the floor playing BMO, craned her head to look at Finn when he came inside.

"Who is Marceline?"

"She's cool, you'll like her."

Jake hollered from the kitchen.

"She's also the Vampire Queen. Important detail there."

Finn shrugged. "She's still cool, don't worry."

That was the conversation that led to her standing outside of a house in a cave. She had to admit though, after everything she had been through in the past month meeting a real vampire was tame.

Marceline, a tall raven haired girl with gray skin, opened the door and floated there in the entry.

"Hey, you must be Melissa."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Bleh I hate formalities, come in and chill."

They entered and found her living room cluttered with instruments. Finn whistled.

"Sweet! Are these the new instruments you got?"

Melissa counted a violin, grand piano, electric and acoustic guitars, several different kinds of bass guitars, and various random instruments like a pan flute and bongo drums. Marceline looked at her.

"So what do you play?"

"Piano and guitar."

"Nice. It'll be cool to have someone who can play those."

They messed around with the different instruments for a while before Marceline floated up on her back, strumming a vibrating note on a bass Melissa didn't recognize. Jake had his viola and Finn had ditched the pan flute in favor of beat boxing.

"I feel like something deep, you know? Something personal."

She played a few upbeat yet sad chords, and Melissa followed her lead. Jake joined in while Finn beat boxed underneath. Marceline sang first, taking turns with Melissa.

"You were here…and now you're gone."

"I don't see how I'm supposed to carry on."

"Take what you will, but leave my heart on the windowsill."

"So I can watch it wilt in the snow."

"You've been gone so long."

"It's been twelve years now."

"You've been gone so long."

"You promised you'd be back. How did you vanish just like that? Just…like…that…"

"How far have you gone?"

"Only far enough to reach the edge of the world."

"You keep wandering on."

"My saaaaaandwiiiiiiiiiiiiich!"

Everyone turned and looked at Jake. He sniffled.

"What? I miss my sandwich."

Marceline turned to Melissa.

"Those were some raw beats. Lose someone you loved?"

"My father walked out on my family when I was four."

She blushed. "I, uh, I thought…I didn't realize…"

Melissa smiled.

"Nah, I'm ok with it. I wonder where he is, but I'm not mad about it or anything. He was a good dad. If he left he had a reason."

Finn awkwardly got their attention.

"Maybe something more upbeat?"

"Like this?"

Melissa struck a few chords and they started up again. She never would have realized that afternoon she would meet one of her closest friends, or that this would lead to frequent jam sessions and movie nights. She felt more at home in Ooo than she ever had back in her world.


	16. Outsmarting The Ice King Again

This was getting ridiculous. Every time Melissa was alone Ice King was ALWAYS there to mess with her.

That morning Finn and Jake went to help Bubblegum with some kind of aura experiment thing, but she told Melissa the presence of her magic would interfere and requested she stay home. That was fine with her; play some BMO, maybe hang out with Marceline, she could have made plans but no. Ice King decided to show up with a duffle bag and kidnap her. Again.

Seriously, who stuffs people in a duffle bag?

She crossed her arms, thankful that she had grown more resistant to the cold after being brought there so often. Ice King was making her "dinner", which was pretty much spaghetti she wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole knowing who made it. Ice King wasn't a bad guy; he was just insane and way too ridiculous.

"Dinner will be ready soon Princess."

"Ugh. Hmmm…"

She caught her reflection in the ice and wondered…

"Ice King?"

"Yes darling?"

"Do you think my eyes are beautiful?"

"Oh yeah."

"Then why don't you let me out?"

"Sure thing just let me- wait a minute."

He had just started to walk over when he stopped.

"Haha silly me, I almost opened the cage for some reason."

Melissa sighed. She was afraid of that…PB warned she wouldn't be able to actually control it.

Or could she?...

"Ice King!"

"Yeees?"

"Come, stare romantically into my eyes."

"Oh haha this is fun."

"Why don't you open the cage?"

"Why would I-"

She focused harder.

"Why don't you open the cage?"

"I-"

"Why don't-"

She stopped mid-sentence and winced, a splitting pain rocketing through her skull. She placed her head in her hands and tried to massage away the pain.

"H-Hey are you ok?"

She breathed raggedly as the pain subsided and shakily wiped her nose, pulling her hand back to reveal a streak of blood.

"Did you get a nose bleed? I get them a lot up here, cold air and all."

Melissa took in a deep breath. She felt the need to try again.

"Ice King?"

"What?"

"Why don't you let…let me out?"

Another pain and more blood.

"Are you sure you're alright?..."

She started to ask again and stopped herself. She felt dizzy…

"Wait…"

"Are you going to keep asking to be let out cause-"

"No…Why don't you invite Finn and Jake over to eat with us?"

"Hey that's a great idea!"

She grinned. It had worked, and she felt better.


	17. Over The Edge

"We can't leave you alone for two seconds huh?"

Finn laughed as they all walked home under the stars. Melissa just shook her head.

"I swear, it's every time! Sometimes I can get out by myself but sometimes I need a hand."

"You didn't have your lighter?"

"It's out of fluid. I was going to ask Bubblegum to make some more for me next time I saw her."

"She can do that?"

"Yeah, I'm not really sure how she makes it, but she filled it up for me once. I constantly have to use it to escape Ice King's stupid cages so it gets used up quickly."

Melissa remembered what they had been doing all day.

"So how was the aura experiment? It took a long time."

Jake piped up from the other side of Finn.

"We had to do to the Lemon Kingdom."

"Lemon?"

"Yeah, the crazy earl Bubblegum made rules there."

They then explained the Lemongrabs to Melissa, who seemed shocked.

"She can make life? Well, I guess that isn't so surprising given how this world works but still."

They were then interrupted by a howling.

Finn quickly drew his sword as a pack of wolves appeared, standing up on their back legs much like a person would. Jake looked up at the sky.

"Aw man, did Ice King really have to kidnap you on a full moon?!"

"What are they?!"

"Wolf Men. Not as smart as Why-Wolves and way more violent than Hug Wolves."

"I'm going to pretend I know what you're talking about."

More wolves appeared and the three began backing up until they were finally attacked. Jake and Finn each fought individual groups as Melissa backed up from the rest. She REALLY needed a sword!

Realization dawned on her when she noticed they were trapped in the same clearing from last time, the one with the sheer cliff face. Looking behind her she saw how close they were coming to it and faced the eight Wolf Men snarling at her.

"Do you understand English?"

They nodded, foam dripping from their bared teeth.

"Then why don't you jump off a cliff?"

The one Wolf Man snapped at her, pushing her back farther. She held eye contact with it.

"Shouldn't you stop?"

Claws dug into the soft flesh of her upper arm, adding to the pain already filling her head. She felt herself coming dangerously close to the edge and re-focused on the Wolf Men. This time she couldn't let the pain faze her.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUMP OFF A CLIFF?"

She felt blood drip down over her lips and ignored it.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUMP OFF A CLIFF?"

The pain vanished. The Wolf Men suddenly stopped growling and marched past her, throwing themselves over the cliff into the river below. The other ones noticed what had happened and broke away from the badly bitten boys, rushing to her and forcing her back to the edge again. She looked up at the sky and took a deep breath before opening her arms wide and letting herself fall backwards over the edge.

Finn and Jake both looked on in horror.

"MELISSA! MELISSA!"

Running to the edge they quickly shoved the Wolf Men off and searched the dark shadows below them for any sign of her. Finn placed his hand over his face.

"She's gone…What did we do Jake?"

"Not much boys."

They both screamed and turned around to find Marceline standing beside Melissa.

"When, how, what?!"

Melissa grinned.

"Your face was hilarious! It was all 'ahh! Melissa'!"

"We deserved that."

"But how did she?..."

"I noticed her flying overhead. She saw what happened and saved me."

"We should get back and bandage ourselves up."

Finn looked at Melissa.

"Did you get another nose bleed?"

"Oh…uh, yeah."

"Again?"

"It's nothing, just the season. I'm more concerned about those scratches."

She wasn't sure they bought it, and she couldn't admit it was because she was using the power. At least not yet…it would just worry them.

"Let's go home."


	18. Jealousy

A couple more days passed and Melissa found herself home alone again. Finn and Jake had gone out to have some guy time and Melissa was just chilling, chatting with BMO.

"So, you do not have talking machines in your time?"

"Well, we have Cleverbot and EVE online but I don't think they apply. As far as sentient machines the closest thing I can think of is the virtual Genie that guesses what you're thinking about."

"A virtual Genie?! Does it grant wishes?!"

"No, and even if he could you'd have to outsmart him first."

"Is he smart?"

"I wouldn't say smart, more like well programmed."

A woman's voice from outside the tree house drew their attention. Melissa got up and walked towards the door.

"I'll get it BMO."

She walked outside and found a girl made of fire. Based off her features she guessed the girl was probably her age or a little younger. She looked genuinely surprised to see Melissa.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Melissa. You must be Finn's girlfriend, Flame Princess, right?"

"Yes, I am. He told you about me?"

"Yeah, he talks about you sometimes. It's nice to meet you."

"Is Finn home? I found this awesome underground cave and I want to show him."

"No, he and Jake left to go do whatever they do when they wander off for the day."

"Then why are you in their house?..."

Uh oh.

"I uh…I live here too…"

"Oh…He…never told me that you live here…"

"Uh, sorry about that."

"…How long have you lived here?"

"I've lived here for…hmmm…over a month I think. I haven't really been keeping track of the time."

There was small awkward silence and Melissa wondered if this would create tension for Finn. In an effort to establish a new friendship she finally looked back at her.

"Want to go for a walk or something? You seem cool, we can chat for a bit and maybe he will be back by then."

She smiled. "Sure."

They walked around for a bit, talking about random things like weather and stuff. Eventually Flame Princess turned to Melissa inquisitively.

"So…what has Finn said about me?"

Crap. Melissa had really hoped she wouldn't ask that because, in truth, Finn rarely mentioned her. They mostly talked about adventuring, not their love lives.

"Oh, you know, stuff."

"…Like?"

"Umm he told me your father rules the Fire Kingdom and that you're extremely kind. He also told me how it hurts you when fire you create is extinguished and that you are made of pure fire."

"That's all? Really?"

"He mostly talks about adventuring with me. We don't usually talk about relationships."

"Oh…he talks about you sometimes too."

Melissa blinked. "Me?"

"Yeah. He said you're a great fighter and told me all about the witch incident. He also said you're funny and he likes talking to you because you're relatable."

"Relatable?"

"You two like similar things and you're both human."

She'd almost forgotten about that. They exchanged stories about their time periods so often that sometimes she forgot Finn was the last human left until she got there.

Flame Princess stopped and faced her. She looked down.

"Do you…like Finn?"

"Like him how?"

"Like like-like him…"

Melissa blushed. She wasn't expecting that question.

"He's a great guy, but no."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Because that was an awkward thing to be asked?"

She had a sinking feeling Flame Princess may be a bit jealous…

"You DO live with him. Isn't that a bit weird? A girl living with two boys?"

"What are you implying? I already told you, I'm not attracted to Finn. He's my friend."

"But you're human!"

"Just because I'm a human female doesn't mean I'm attracted to the last human male on the planet!"

"Then why doesn't he talk about me more? Why just 'adventuring'?"

"Oh for…because I'm his FRIEND. Seriously, there's NOTHING."

Flame Princess huffed. She didn't seem like she was doing it on purpose, more like she wasn't really sure how to communicate properly. He had also told her about her thirteen year imprisonment beginning when she was two so her interactions were a tad rusty. She left that part of the conversation out though.

They walked in silence for a little longer. In an effort to diffuse the situation she asked what she thought was a normal question.

"So how long have you two been dating?"

She flared up.

"And what is THAT supposed to mean?!"

"I-I was just making small talk."

"No, you are trying to interfere!"

"What gave you that idea?!"

"You said he was a great guy!"

"Which he is, he's a HERO. By default he's a great guy!"

Fire surged up on the ground around her.

"It DOESN'T MEAN I like him!"

As the fire touched her foot she stopped at it without thinking, realizing her mistake too late.

"OW!"

"Oh God I'm so sorry! I forgot!"

"LIAR!"

She flung a fireball at her and she dodged it.

"YOU ARE HAVING SERIOUS JEALOUSY ISSUES RIGHT NOW!"

Another fireball.

"CHILL! WE CAN TALK THROUGH THIS!"

A fireball skimmed her shoulder when she dodged, making her hiss angrily in pain.

"WHY DON'T YOU GO JUMP IN A LAKE YOU PSYCHO?"

Flame Princess stopped and slowly turned, walking away. A moment of pure terror coursed through Melissa when she realized what she had done.

She ran after her.

"FLAME PRINCESS STOP!"

Nothing.

"LOOK, IT"S FINN!"

No reaction.

She couldn't break it with a verbal distraction like before.

What had she done?


	19. Just Go

Melissa stood and frantically tried to pull herself together. Maybe she could just head back home…Finn would think she ran away or something and if she treated the burn nobody would-

She shook her head violently.

"What the hell am I thinking?! I have to stop her!"

She sprinted after Flame Princess, finding her drawing ever closer to a nearby body of water. She tried yelling again.

"DON'T DO IT! YOU'LL GO OUT!"

She didn't stop so Melissa ran up to her.

"Flame Princess! Can you even hear me?!"

Her face was blank and unresponsive. Melissa could hear the gush of a nearby river and knew she was running out of time. The lake was at the end of it…

Melissa picked up a tree branch and gripped it tightly. Holding it above Flame Princess's head she winced and yelled "I'm sorry!" as she swung it downwards.

The branch burned up and she seemed completely unfazed.

Looking up she spotted the shore and knew she was out of time. Without any other options in sight she grabbed Flame Princess's shoulders, fire burning Melissa's hands and arms, and threw her to the ground.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Flame Princess blinked and then grew angry.

"What did you do to me?!"

"It was an accident! I don't know what happened!"

Melissa cradled her burnt hands against her chest. Flame Princess roared and shot her with another fireball before shooting into the sky like a rocket, leaving Melissa on the ground with burns across her stomach, arms, and hands.

She couldn't stop the tears as she hobbled home. How could she have done that? What was wrong with her?

Walking inside BMO began panicking. At least the boys weren't home yet…

"Melissa! What happened?!"

"I'm…not entirely sure BMO…Can you soak me a few towels in cold water?"

She laid on the ground, wet towels wrapped around her arms and one across her stomach. When the pain had finally gone down some she carefully bandaged her wounds. It hurt, but until she could see Finn and get some Cyclops Tears she was on her own.

They both returned fairly beat-up from whatever they had been doing all day. He wasn't in much of a giving mood when he returned though.

"MELISSA!"

"Finn…"

"Are you crazy?! You almost killed my girlfriend!"

"I didn't mean to Finn! You know I wouldn't hurt anyone, especially not someone important to you…"

"Then why did you do that?! You betrayed me!"

"I-I don't know what happened…"

"Flame Princess told me some things. I don't want you around her, or me!"

"Finn, I-"

He was too angry to listen. Jake tried to step in.

"Woah man, calm down. We don't know what-"

"Just go!"

Melissa swallowed heavily and picked up her bag. She could still hear Jake trying to reason with Finn as she left the tree house, not entirely sure where to go or what to do.

She had been walking for a while when she spotted what she thought was a campfire. It was Flambo.

"Hey Flambo."

He jumped and turned to her.

"Melissa! Coulda fooled me, woah! That's new!"

"Yeah I'm a little burnt…"

"The Princess told me what went down and man, I feel for you."

"You…do? But aren't you her best friend?"

"Yesserie, but I also know more than she does. That Witch Resonance is kinda strong, I don't remember that being there last time I was with yous guys."

"Witch Resonance? What's that?"

"Yous don't know?"

"No, I don't…"

"Elementals are extremely sensitive to the presence of magic. We can sense many things, such as inorganic materials in our surroundings and such, but our sensitivity to witch magic is much higher than it is for wizard magic."

"There's a difference? I thought witches and wizards were just the female and male equivalents of each other?"

"Nope! Wizard magic can be used for good or evil depending on the person and is the most common form of magic. Witch magic is inherently evil, forbidden magic. It has nothing to do with genders."

Melissa felt her heart sink. Wasn't the magic locked away in her head? How could she be a witch?...

"What is Witch Resonance?"

"It's what we elementals use to refer to a witch's aura. It has a bad effect on us, like nails on a chalkboard, and the stronger the magic the worse of an effect it has. It's like mental torture to us. That's why Flame Princess acted out, she's never met a person with a Witch Resonance so she didn't know what it was. She's usually a nice girl."

"Is it affecting you?..."

"Oh trust me, I'm screaming inside. I'm not nearly as powerful as she is."

"I…I should go…"

"Well, not so fast. I know what it is so I can ignore it for now. I want to help yous apologize to them, that's why I was out here. I was trying to find you."

"You want to help me?"

"Yeah I hate seeing a misunderstanding go so wrong like this but I can't fix the problem myself. I'll even help yous for free, but yous DO owe me one."

"Why didn't you just tell her what happened?"

"I didn't know yous were a witch until now, and she's still recovering from being exposed to the Witch Resonance for so long. Makes people moody and prone to rash decisions."

"What can I do then?"

"Well, I can teach yous a spell called Flame Shield. Since you're a witch yous should be able to learn it. It's a basic incantation with a few runic gestures, it'll be a snap."

"B-But I've never learned a spell before…"

"It'll be easy, now hurry up. I can't stay around yous forever. It feels like you're poking my brain."

Melissa looked down at her bandaged hands and arms. Making gestures was going to hurt, but if it got her one step closer to fixing this mess she was willing to try until she bled.


	20. Sanctuary

The morning sun was just barely peaking over the horizon.

"Shodero Madi Sha Dakadedoda Makenda!"

Melissa moved her hands, making fire runes appear around her head. She sighed in relief when the rock she was practicing on turned blue. Flambo nodded his approval.

"Yous got it Mel. Now if yous can excuse me, I can't handle this anymore."

He hurried away calling back to her.

"Yous owe me one!"

He quickly retreated, leaving Melissa alone. Her burns ached and she figured medical attention should be the next thing on her list as she headed to the Candy Kingdom.

She had just exited the tree line when she realized entering the kingdom as is probably wouldn't be a good idea. She opened her bag and retrieved a bandana she had bought a few days ago for her hair when it got long on their travels. Folding it slightly she tied it around her head, fitting one side under her ear so it would completely cover her left eye. She hoped that would stop any more…incidents…

As she drew closer to the border of the kingdom she stopped short.

"EVIL PRESENCE DETECTED!"

The Gumball Guardians approached her, blocking her path. She stared mortified.

"It's me! Melissa!"

"We are sorry Melissa, but you cannot go on. Turn away or we will be forced to take action."

"I need to see a doctor! What is your-"

One shot a laser beam at her feet, making her fall backwards. The message was clear, so she picked herself up and headed back.

She still had one person to turn to.

She began the long walk to Marceline's house tired and disheartened. Was she evil now? She'd never done anything evil…but the magic was inherently evil wasn't it? Flambo had told her so. She guessed it didn't matter what her character was…as long as this continued to curse her she would never be able to go back to living normally here…

But the power could be useful in the future, couldn't it?

She couldn't control it…how would it be useful?

She could learn to control it.

But that could put everyone in danger again…

She fought back and forth with herself until a rancid odor caught her attention. She looked over to see Finn, Jake, and Flame Princess standing off on a peninsula near a burning teepee thing. She ducked behind a rock for a while trying to sum up her courage before she could approach, keeping a safe distance from Flame Princess just in case. She could barely hear the tail end of their conversation.

"SO UNFAIR!"

"Uh, we can go get em."

"Really? That would be really nice. But don't let my pops see you! I don't want 'his majesty' thinking I need anything from him."

"Don't worry, we'll be in and out of the Flame Kingdom before you know it."

Melissa watched as they headed back down towards her. If she was going to say anything, she needed to then.

"Finn! Jake!"

"What are you doing here?! I told you to stay away from her!"

"I'm not here because of that…Truthfully, I wasn't coming here at all, I just saw you guys…"

"Melissa-"

"Before you say anything else, I just wanted to say I'm sorry…for everything, and I…"

She gulped and chanted the spell.

"Shodero Madi Sha Dakadedoda Makenda!"

Finn and Jake gasped as the Flame Shield covered them.

"I wanted to get you a gift so…this should protect you while you're there…"

Finn stepped towards her.

"Melissa, I was just going to say that you're covered in bandages. Your hands are bloody, and what happened to your eye?"

She hadn't even realized it. She must have overworked the damaged skin learning that spell.

"Oh, uh, this is nothing don't worry."

"And I want to apologize for reacting the way I did…I went and saw Flame Princess and she wasn't sure why she acted that way either. I'm sorry I made you leave…"

"It's ok Finn. I think I can explain why things happened the way they did, but you should probably go get whatever it is and we can talk about it later."

"Are you sure? Maybe we should take you to see Bubblegum first-"

"No, no really I'm ok for now. We can talk more when you get back."

"You sure?...Ok then…I'll see you later."

Melissa hurried away. She was happy that she was able to start patching things up with Finn, but now there were even more problems she needed to address. Hopefully Marceline could help her with a few of them.

She arrived a few hours later completely exhausted. She just hoped Marceline wouldn't be too angry about being woken up in the middle of the day like this…

She knocked on the door.

"Marceline? It's Melissa, I need your help. Marceline? Marceline!"

She opened the door.

"What do you- Melissa! You look awful!"

"You don't have to be so blunt."

"Hey this isn't a joke, you smell like blood and burnt meat."

"I am burnt meat."

She shuffled her inside and carefully removed her bandages so she could replace them with clean ones. The air hurt horribly when it collided with the raw skin but it didn't hurt as much as before at least.

"You shouldn't be here, you should be at a hospital crazy! Where are Finn and Jake?"

"That's a long story…"

Melissa started to tell her what happened, but something stopped her.

What if she turned on her too?

No. That wouldn't happen. She told Marceline everything, about trying to actively use the power, about the fight, about being a witch now, everything. When she was done she blinked the haze from her eyes as Marceline absorbed all the information.

"This is…unnatural…"

"You're telling me…I hate to be a burden, but can I sleep please? I can barely stay awake."

"O-Ok…Let me set up a place for you, I'll be back soon."

Melissa laid down on the floor, her head on a pillow, and passed out so quickly she didn't even hear Marceline leave.


	21. Suppression Stones

Melissa awoke to find herself no longer in Marceline's home. Instead she was laying on a table in Bubblegum's lab, herself, Finn, Jake, and Marceline standing across the room from her.

"Huh?"

She tried to move and found her arms, legs, and neck were strapped down to the table, immobilizing her. Her bandana had been removed and something smaller was covering her left eye.

She could hear Marceline speak from across the room.

"Was tying her down really necessary?"

"She's dangerous like she is right now. The magic has leaked out of her mind into her body and multiplied at an alarming rate."

Melissa realized they hadn't noticed she was awake. Bubblegum sighed.

"I know nobody wants to see her like this but who knows what could happen? If she was able to learn Flame Shield she may have greater power than we think."

Finn looked at her uncertainly.

"But I don't think she would hurt us…"

"Like she didn't mean to almost kill Flame Princess? Until I can get these stones finished and suppress her magic back into her head she could be a danger to us all."

Everyone grew awkward after that. Marceline pinched her nose and sighed.

"Would suppressing her powers really do any good? Wouldn't it be better to learn how to control it?"

"No! She's a WITCH now. You know how unpredictable and evil witch's magic is. This is the only way, through the power of science."

At that point Bubblegum turned towards Melissa with something in her hands and blushed.

"O-Oh, did you?..."

"I…heard enough…"

"Then you know what I must do for the greater good."

Something clawed at the back of her mind. A sense of urgency, fear, the word 'run' repeating in her head. She couldn't do much about it strapped down like she was anyway…

The table moved, changing into an upright position. From there she could see Bubblegum was holding a large metal band in her hands connected to a monitor with wires. She looked at Melissa apologetically.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything else for you…This will force all the magic back into your skull and suppress it. But I warn you: if you EVER take them off, I won't be able to help you again. You're almost too powerful for me to help you now."

"I understand…"

Finn and Jake shuffled uncertainly in the background. They looked worried, as did Marceline.

"Try not to struggle too much."

Bubblegum placed the band around her head and activated something on the monitor. Melissa screamed as a stabbing pain hit both her temples and her forehead. She could feel the magic being sucked back up into her skull as though someone were filling it with concrete, leaving her body feeling weak and her head heavy. Blood gushed from her nose and dripped to the lab floor.

When it was over Bubblegum removed the band, revealing three small green gems embedded into the skin of her temples and forehead.

"The power levels are gone now. Suppression complete. How do you feel?"

Melissa coughed, fighting back the urge to vomit. Everyone looked horrified at the amount of blood covering her shirt and face.

"Heavy…"

"You won't feel back to normal for a while, but don't worry. You'll recover."

"Ugh…"

She must have blacked out, waking up later in a hospital bed. Though her body felt back to normal her head still felt unnaturally heavy and the gems felt foreign to her. She tried to sit up and cradled her head in her hands. That's when she discovered the eye patch, a much better way to cover her cursed eye than a bandana.

Upon further inspection she found all of her burns were healed and that she was wearing one of Finn's shirts, which fit her surprisingly well. He must have given them one to replace her blood-soaked tank top until it could be washed or replaced. She didn't exactly own many clothes yet even though she'd been living there for a long time.

"Melissa!"

Looking up she saw Finn, Jake, and Marceline entering the room with lunch. Her stomach growled loudly and she realized she hadn't eaten since she was home alone talking to BMO. Poor thing must be worried…

"Hey guys."

"How do you feel?"

"Better I think."

"That's good, you had us worried about you."

"Yeah…I'm sorry about that…"

"Don't worry about it; we're happy you're better!"

She smiled as Jake handed her a bowl of pasta. She had almost forgotten how much her friends cared about her. At least this was finally over.


	22. The Hard Easy

A lot had happened in the four months Melissa had lived in Ooo. She had met the best friends of her life, temporarily became a witch (although the magic still sat heavily in her head), and experienced more than she ever thought possible. It had taken a while to get used to the eye patch and stones but now she barely noticed them.

"Melissa, you're spacing out like crazy. What are you thinking about anyway?"

She turned to Finn and grinned.

"Just thinkin'."

"Weirdo."

Jake stopped ahead of them.

"Here it is! The swimming hole I told you guys about!"

"Eww. Is this a swamp?"

Melissa stared uncertainly at the mucky water. The boys, however, jumped right in. Finn surfaced, wet and shirtless, wrinkling up his nose as he turned to Jake.

"You getting all bit up by mosquitos?"

"I don't know…I'm getting bit up by something."

"Man, I can't believe you said this was a good swimming hole."

"I said it might be good. It's not though."

"True."

"Wanna just go?"

"Yeah. This place smells like green beans."

Melissa picked up Finn's shoes and threw them to him after he had dressed. The three had just started to leave when a voice from behind them drew their attention.

"My name's Woobeewoo. I need your help, my people are in trouble. I'm a mudscamp."

Finn nodded. "Yeah Woobeewoo! Of course we'll help. Why didn't you say something before?"

"I'm shy. It took me a while to work up the nerve."

"Oh. Right on. You good now?"

"We'll see. Come, I'll take you to my village."

They followed the mudscamp through the maze-like swampland back to his village, coming across a tiny outcropping of them.

"Here we are: the village of my people. It doesn't have an official name, but I call it South Woobeewoo."

Thunder rumbled overhead.

"This way."

Melissa stepped carefully over the…amphibians? Approaching a pedestal they stopped and looked to Woobeewoo.

"This is the village elder. He'll fill you in on the 'deets'."

She raised an eyebrow at Jake, who shrugged. An older looking mud-thing appeared and addressed them.

"Greetings, heros."

"Ewww!"

Melissa jumped back as red juice squirted from him, landing where her foot had previously been.

"I'm so sorry about that. You know, we-we secrete stink oil all day out our awful-sauce glands. You know, I guess I should have warned you. Anyway, lemme cut the cheese."

The one next to him leaned towards him and whispered, "Cut to the chase."

"Yes... I mean-I mean, of course 'cut to the chase,' I mean, for many-for many moons now our village has been under siege by the Mega Frog. He's 100 stories of 110% 10-speed terror, like, bam, like, fresh out the grease. I mean, he chases us all up and down from first base to home, trying to eat us alive. We-we've always managed to escape, but it's CRAZY scary, I mean, w-what if you got ate? Think about it…"

At this point the senile old mudscamp jumped into a rant involving voices, so Melissa tuned him out. Finn and Jake agreed to look for this 'Mega Frog' and they set off. Melissa poked Jake's arm.

"What's that?"

"Oh, they gave us a bag of lollies."

"The good kind?"

"Nope."

"Dang."

Jake proceeded to sniff the ground as they walked. Finn turned to him.

"Getting anything?"

"Yeah, but it's hard to make out. Could just be some footprints... or an old doodie"

"Word... Hey, I have an idea. We can use those lollipops to leave a trail. That way we won't get lost out here."

"Yeah, that's a great idea, man. I was just gonna throw 'em all on the ground anyway."

Melissa punched his arm. Jake just stuck his tongue out at her.

"The thing with frogs is they got a real subtle smell. Kinda like when you open up a new thing of, um... CDRs."

"That reminds me. You know, there's something I've been meaning to ask you guys."

"What?"

"If I really did time travel here, and my time is in the past, then why haven't I seen any modern technology?"

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't seen a single flatscreen, smartphone, or modern gaming device. Heck, I haven't even seen a DVD. All we find is VHS thingys."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"That's what has been confusing me. The pre-war technology we keep finding seems to stop before the twenty-first century."

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah, I figured we'd have found SOMETHING from my timeline by now."

"Maybe you're from the future?"

"But that's impossible too. If the technology stops just before the twenty-first century and it's been one thousand years since then there's no way I'm from the future."

"Then where do you fit in?"

"I…I have no idea. This is terribly confusing…"

Finn suddenly stopped and turned to them.

"Man I'm hungry, let's head back and look again tomorrow."

"Sure man."

"Guess we better follow the lollipops back."

Jake shook the empty bag. "We ran out of those a while ago."

Melissa slapped her hand against her face and sighed. No lolli trail and several overlapping frog trails meant this was going to be problematic.

"Dang…Do you think maybe the Mega Frog made all those footprints on purpose? So we'd use up all our lollies and get totally lost?"

"What? Nah, man! Frogs are dumb, you know that. He's probably runnin' around like that 'cause he's lost. Plus, we're not even lost. I just gotta stretch up past these trees and see where we're at."

Jake stretched up into the canopy. He sounded like he was talking to them but Melissa couldn't hear him way up there. She did, however, hear him scream as he was struck by lighting and shrunk back twitching slightly.

"Man, forget that! I can't see anything through that mist AND I got struck by lightning. We're just gonna have to set up camp and wait out the storm."

Finn and Melissa gathered sticks while Jake attempted to shake off all the burnt hair. After that they all stood around the pile. Jake sighed.

"Do you remember how to make a fire with sticks?"

"Guys?"

"Yeah man, it's easy. Uhhh, rub 'em together, right?"

"Guys."

"I don't think it's workin', man."

"Guys!"

"WHAT?"

Melissa stood there holding her uncle's lighter.

"Oh yeah. I keep forgetting you have that."

"I don't see how, I always have it with me."

They sat around the fire talking for a long time before Jake suddenly stiffened.

"Jake?...Are you ok?..."

"Fuh-fuh-fuh... fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh..."


	23. The Princess And The Frog

"What? What is it, Jake?"

"FUH-FUH-FUH-FROOOOOOG!"

Melissa and Finn turned around slowly. Standing behind them was a massive frog that dwarfed them, drawing a collective scream from them as they jumped up and ran.

Finn pointed off to the left.

"Let's hide in this cave!"

They all dove inside and watched the entrance petrified. Everyone found the situation terrifying.

"He's gonna dingle our bones into tapioca pudding!"

Jake grimaced.

"Finn! That's gross, don't use language like that."

Melissa put her hands over both their mouths and shushed them. In the quiet they could hear the heavy thumping of the frog's footsteps outside.

The frog stuck his head in the entrance and tried to squeeze into the cave. The three of them searched frequently for a back exit and found the cave only consisted of the space they were in.

Jake grew in size and attacked the frog as it managed to squish itself inside, grappling with it as Finn and Melissa attacked. The frog kept grabbing at Jake's face until he finally managed to pull his head into his mouth.

"He's eating me! Gently eating me! No teeth! Mostly tongue!"

Melissa gagged. Disgusting.

Finn, who had been standing beside her, stopped moving as though he were thinking deeply.

"Finn? Hey! Don't space now, he's eating Jake! What are you thinking about?!"

He suddenly snapped out of it and grabbed her shoulders.

"That's it!"

"WHAT's it?"

"I know how to stop him!"

"Then spit it out!"

"You have to kiss him!"

"WHAT?! NO!"

"But you have to!"

"I SAID no! Jake can just get eaten!"

"Come on! It's just a kiss."

"I AM NOT HAVING MY FIRST KISS WITH A FREAKIN' FROG!"

Finn blinked as Melissa's cheeks turned crimson. He let go of her.

"I understand."

"You…you do?"

"Yeah, I can handle it."

Finn climbed up Jake and ran across his head, jumping toward the frog. Flying through the air he kissed the frog and grasped a stalactite to hang on to.

Melissa watched in shock as the frog levitated, light shining through his eyes, mouth, and spots on his skin as he morphed back into the form of a man wearing a pink princely suit and crown.

"I'm hot again! Thanks, little dudes! I really appreciate it!"

He got Finn down from the stalactite and smiled broadly at him.

"I don't get it, though... I kissed just about everything I could get my lips on. How come it only worked with you?"

"You can't break your own curse by kissing' somebody. Somebody's gotta kiss you."

"Oh. Weird. Well, thanks, man. I don't know a lot of dudes who'd do that to help a guy out."

"It's whatever, don't mention it."

He looked at Melissa and frowned.

"Chick wouldn't help me out though."

She blushed furiously as he waved and flew out of the cave. Jake turned to her with a stupid grin on his face.

"You've never been kissed before hmm?"

She punched him, sending him careening through a stalagmite.


	24. Gunter

Melissa woke up quickly as a strange sound echoed in her room. About a week ago Finn and Jake surprised her with her own room since she had been sleeping on the couch so long. They had been cleaning out a side room in secret, converting it into a proper bedroom right under her nose. I was nice finally having a bed and room of her own and she promised herself she would find some way to thank them eventually.

However at this moment she was more concerned about the penguin standing at her bedside.

"Wenk."

"Gunter? What are you doing here?"

"Wenk."

"You're not Gunter?"

She heard a noise on her other side and turned to see three more penguins.

"Um…Is the Ice King making you guys kidnap me? Doesn't he usually do that himself?..."

"WENK!"

"OK! I'm getting up, sheesh."

Melissa hopped out of bed and followed the penguins downstairs, getting there just in time to watch Finn and Jake topple in covered in penguins.

"Why aren't they attacking you?"

"Probably because I didn't bother fighting back."

The front door banged open, drawing their attention. In levitated the real Gunter with her weird, pink cat-child thing strapped to her back. Finn tried to get her attention.

"What's going on here? Call off your super bros!"

Gunter ignored him and approached a shelf, knocking the bottles off and watching satisfied as they shattered on the floor.

"Well that's great." Jake said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Where's the Ice King, Gunter?"

She ignored them, marching out the door with her minions following close behind. The three rushed outside and screamed from shock when they realized the place was crawling with Gunters. Finn stared in disbelief.

"Is this happening everywhere?"

"I don't know, lemme see."

Jake stretched his arm inside and retrieved a telescope, using it to look around them.

"Dang!"

"What do you see?"

"Hold on. Oh no! NO!"

"What, dude?!"

"Hold on man. Wait. Oh, Glob! This can't be happening!"

"Tell me!"

"We've been conquered."

"Who's been conquered?"

"Everyone."

"By the Ice King?"

"No, by Gunter!"

Melissa took the telescope and looked around, trying to locate the real Gunter.

"Gunter is heading for the Candy Kingdom!"

Jake expanded, Finn and Melissa jumping on his back so they could hurry to the Candy Kingdom. On their way Finn called Bubblegum to warm her.

"Are you seeing these penguins?!"

"Yeah, it's Gunter! She's taking over the whole thing!"

"Well she'll have to beat my Banana Guards and my Gumball Gaurdians."

Jake scoffed. "That's not gonna work."

"What did he say?"

"He said your plan won't work."

"Well what's YOUR plan?"

"I got a plan."

"You…do?"

"When we get there, I'll do my plan in addition to your plan. Two plans. Later."

"Uh, alright, so you're not going to tell me your-"

Finn hung up on her. Melissa raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're not going to tell her the plan?"

"No, I gotta be mysterious."

Jake's face switched to the back of his head so he could look at them.

"What? I thought you weren't into Bubblegum anymore."

"I'm not. But this is how I act now with all the ladies, you see?"

Melissa elbowed him.

"You don't do that to me."

"You're not a lady, you're my bro."

She wasn't sure why, but for some reason hearing that stung.

"I keep the ladies in a state of confusion. That way, I've always got options in case Flame Princess doesn't work out."

Melissa and Jake looked at him, both distressed by his sudden 'revelation'. Jake was the first to recover enough to speak.

"OH MY GOSH. Where is this coming from?!"

"It's called 'future farming'. I read it in that book you have by Jay T. Doggzone."

"Don't read that book! It's gonna mess up your brain. I keep that thing around for laughs. It's all really bad advice."

"Oh, okay. I'll stop then."

"Well, you can still be mysterious. That's fine."

"What? Now I'm confused."

Melissa patted Finns shoulder.

"I'll teach you about girls some time."

They found Bubblegum standing near the gates of the Candy Kingdom staring at the encroaching horde if penguins.

"Hey P-Bubs! Are you ready?"

"Yes, the cavalry is standing by."

"Cool. I'm gonna go rally the citizens and do this other plan."

Finn and Jake left, but Melissa stayed behind to protect the gates. The penguins began forming into giant unicorns and attacking, taking down most of the Banana Guard and the Gumball Guardians. Bubblegum shook her fist in the air.

"You'll never get past these walls! I think…"

The pink cat floated forward and shot fireballs, knocking a chunk out of the wall and allowing the penguins to swoop in.

Gunter flew in, stopping and staring behind them in awe. Bubblegum and Melissa turned round slowly to find a mountain of bottles behind them that they hadn't noticed being gathered during the attack. Finn looked at them triumphantly.

"This…is my plan. I got the Candy Kingdom underground to help me collect all the bottles in the land!"

Jake laughed as he laid the last bottle down gently. Gunter attacked the pile happily, smashing to her hearts content.

"Breaking news: that mystery plan of yours is a smash hit!"

Bubblegum looked to Finn uncertainly.

"But what happens when they run out of bottles?"

"I won't let that happen."

Silence.

They all turned to find the previous mountain of bottles was now nothing more than glass, and Gunter began yelling unhappily at them as she advanced with her army. Finn unsheathed his sword and the other penguins mimicked him, creating swords of their own out of thin air.

"Stay back!"

"Wait a minute!"

Bubblegum stepped between him and the small flightless militia.

"Put away your weapons and we'll get you more bottles."

"But there aren't anymore!"

"Yes there is, in a storage area behind the bookcase on the first floor of the castle!"

Melissa turned and gestured towards a group of candy citizens.

"We'll get them!"

"Yes! Hurry!"

She took the small group and ran, quickly locating the storage area. Just as Bubblegum had said the room looked like it had been filled with old crates of bottles and boxes. She began handing out the crates, hurrying to get as many as possible back quickly. In her haste, she knocked over an old box.

Photographs spilled out onto the ground. Melissa started to just step over them when one in particular caught her eye…

Her hand shook as she picked up the photo, staring at it until a voice broke into her thoughts.

"Miss Melissa? Is something wrong?"

She shoved the picture into her pocket and turned to Starchy, who had the last crate.

"Y-yeah, I'll take that…"

They ran back, taking the crates of bottles to Gunter.


	25. A Secret Revealed

Gunter went through and smashed the new bottles as Finn, Jake, Melissa, and Bubblegum thought up what to do. Bubblegum sighed.

"I don't know what we can do after this…"

"Don't worry Peebles, we'll figure it out."

"Wenk!"

Bubblegum turned to Gunter, who floated near her.

"What? What do you want, I don't…"

The Gumball Guardians, who were subdued by giant penguins, began bending towards the ground. Finn jumped up and pointed.

"She wants to smash the Gumball Guardians heads!"

Bubblegum frantically tried to reason with Gunter as one of the Guardians had his head forced to the ground. Gunter approached him as the four let out a collective, "NO!"

The Gumball Guardian looked at Bubblegum sadly.

"Goodbye Princess!"

Gunter tapped the glass, creating a crack.

"Hey. What's goin' on here? Why's this place all crazy?"

Melissa had never felt so relieved to see the Ice King. She usually felt revulsion.

"I was just flying by and- GUNTER! YOU took my stuff?!"

"Wenk…"

"That's bad! You know what you get?"

"…Wenk…"

"That's right, you get the squirty-squirts!"

Ice King pulled out a water bottle (from where she had no idea) and squirted Gunter.

"Bad, bad! Now take off my Demonic Wishing Eye."

She did, handing it to the Ice King. He slipped it into his robe and looked sternly at Gunter.

"Alright, Gunter. Now go home."

"Wenk…"

"That's right, walk. And while you're walking, I hope you think about what you did."

He sighed and turned to everyone.

"It's getting worse and worse with him. He just…he hates it when I leave the castle. I'm sorry guys."

Melissa wondered if she should remind him again that Gunter was a girl as she looked him over. He looked like someone tried to shove him in a blender.

"Where were you? You look terrible."

"Heh…well, I got into some crazy wiz biz over in Wizard City. Honestly, I don't even know how I survived. Basically it was the craziest showdown ever, I-"

He paused as if catching himself.

"I wish I could tell you all about it, but you know, 'Wizards only fools'. Keep it tight."

He shot them a peace sign and flew off.

"…What was that about?"

Bubblegum shrugged.

"Who knows? At least it's over now…I know! While I fix this crack we should throw a victory party!"

Everyone cheered, except for Melissa. She followed everyone back to the castle and just stood around watching until she could work up her nerve. After that she headed up to Bubblegum's lab.

Inside she was working on a resin and didn't even bother to look up as Melissa entered.

"Hey Melissa, need something?"

When she didn't get an answer she turned to find Melissa staring her down, tears in her right eye.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That another person came here with that circlet!"

Bubblegum put down a beaker and turned to Melissa sternly.

"Because it was none of your business. How did you find out?"

"Yes it is my business! Look Princess, I know we never really liked each other, but I want the truth."

"It's not that I don't like you…"

"Then what is it? Why is it that every time I talk to you it feels like you hate me?"

"It isn't you ok? There's just a…prejudice against witches here…I guess I let it get the better of me…I judged you harshly and unfairly and for that I am sorry."

"That was all?"

"Witches are considered evil and untrustworthy. I stuck you into that stereotype without really getting to know you first."

"…I can forgive you for that…But please Bubblegum, tell me the truth. There was no foretelling of a 'Time Princess', was there?"

"…No…No there wasn't…"

"Why would you lie to me? Why keep the truth from me?"

"I didn't know what brought you here or how to send you back. I was trying to ease your mind."

Melissa pulled the picture from her pocket and held it out to Bubblegum.

"Do you know who this man is?"

"Yes, he was the one who came here before you with the circlet. His name was Ralph. Where did you get that picture?"

"That isn't important right now!"

Tears streamed down her face, soaking through her eye patch.

"Melissa, what's wrong?"

"He's my father!"

Bubblegum's eyes went wide.

"I…I didn't…"

"I know, you couldn't have known. Please…tell me what happened to him…"

"I don't know-"

"Please!"

"Ok…We found him wandering around the kingdom much like how we found you. We held a dinner for him and one of my citizens took that photo, which I confiscated from them. He was worried and wanted to find a way to get home, but I couldn't help him. So…he set off by himself…"

She paused and sighed.

"I'm sorry Melissa…I don't know where he is…"

"It's ok…"

She sat down in a chair slowly and dried her eyes. Bubblegum laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I promise, if I knew anything I would tell you."

"I believe you…"

"And I apologize again for the way I treated you."

"It's fine…So…I really can't go home?"

She eyed the box across the room she knew her circlet was in.

"I really don't know…If you want it back-"

"No…keep it. I can't go back and truthfully I don't want to…"

Melissa wondered where he could possibly be and how the circlet returned to her time. In the end she was back to where she started with no answers and more questions than ever before, though now she and Bubblegum seemed to understand each other more.


	26. Simon And Marceline

Melissa pulled the cake out of the oven and held it so BMO could ice it.

"I'm sure Tree Trunks will appreciate this. It was a good idea."

"Baked goods make the best presents!"

"Alright BMO, I'll let you finish up while I go find the guys."

Walking outside she looked around, quickly finding the pair perched on a rock using binoculars to spy on the Ice Kingdom.

"…What are you two doing?"

"Keeping an eye on evil."

"The Ice King isn't evil, he's a socially challenged psychopath a few colors short of a box of crayons."

"I see movement."

Melissa looked towards the Ice Kingdom in time to see the Ice King flying out of his lair. Though she couldn't see him very well it looked like he was carrying his instruments and a penguin.

Finn and Jake focused on him and started talking in their 'cop voices'.

"Well, well, well. Looks like the Ice King is up to bad biscuits, brotha."

"Bad biscuits make the baker broke, bro."

"Ice King, you make our job too easy. You ready to roll on this fool?"

"Dinner roll!"

She rolled her eyes as Jake turned into a police car and they both put on sunglasses.

"Is it really necessary to stalk him every time he goes out?"

Finn leaned his arm on the 'window' and straightened his sunglasses.

"If you can't take the beat, stay out of the force."

"...Just because of that I'll go."

She hopped into the passenger's seat and put on her own pair of sunglasses as they sped off.

Eventually Melissa removed her pair and looked at Finn in confusion.

"Is he going to Marceline's house?"

"It looks like it."

"But doesn't he only kidnap princesses?"

Finn shrugged as they entered the cave, Jake turning back into his normal shape.

"Ice King! Huh?"

They rushed inside to find him entangled in a power chord. Jake and Finn gave Marceline a thumbs up.

"Oh…you got him."

"Nice job, Marceline."

"Your constant harassment of the female gender makes me sick."

Jake picked up Ice King and started to walk off with him when Marceline stopped them.

"No, he can stay."

"What?!"

Ice King seemed just as surprised as they were.

"It's alright. We're working on a song together."

"You don't want us to…"

Finn punched his palm with his other fist.

"…for you?"

"No, it's ok. You guys can go."

"…Okay…Well…I guess we'll see you, then…Bye…"

They exited awkwardly. Melissa started to walk off when Jake grabbed her with a hand over her mouth and pulled her into the bushes. She pushed his hand away and turned to the two sternly.

"No. We are NOT spying on Marceline."

"But something weird is going on!"

"I don't care you guys. She obviously has a reason for keeping him here and this isn't any of our business. If she wants us to know she will tell us."

Finn and Jake looked at each other.

"Hey, what are you-"

Jake tied her up with his arms and covered her mouth, sitting her between them as they watched through her living room window.

Marceline was playing the Omnichord while Ice King sang about princesses. Eventually he began shooting magic ice at her ceiling, cracking it much to Marceline's dismay.

"Stop acting like this!"

"No, it's just startin' to get good! Anybody! Princesses, I command you, love me! Love me! Love me! Love me!"

Marceline tackled him to the floor.

"STOP ACTING CRAZY!"

"I JUST WANNA BE LOVED!"

He pushed her off forcefully.

"Uh-oh. I'm sorry I pushed you."

He vanished out of view into the kitchen and Marceline followed. Finn cupped his hands behind his ears.

"I can't hear them anymore."

"Mmmph mmmph mmmph mph mmmmph!"

"Woah Mel. No need for that language."

"…Mmmph mmph mmmmmmphmmmph mph?"

"Yeah, we can understand you."

"Mmmmph?"

"One of the princesses mumbles a lot, we got used to it."

"….Mhm…"

"Hey, don't give me that look. We have to make sure Ice King doesn't try anything."

"Mmmmph mmmph."

"No, we aren't being nosey. We are concerned friends."

"What? Wait, listen!"

Marceline's voice finally reached them as Ice King ran out of the kitchen to set up the Omnichord, which was still playing a tune.

"Yeah, let's go! What's it say?"

Marceline looked at a photo she was holding, singing the words written on the back of it.

"Marceline, is it just you and me in the wreckage of the world? That must be so confusing for a little girl. And I know you're going to need me here with you... but I'm losing myself, and I'm afraid you're going to lose me, too..."

"Ooh yeah! Keep it going!"

"Oh! Um…"

Ice King ran to his drum set, picking up the beat. Marceline shuffled around in the papers and pulled out another photo.

"This magic keeps me alive, but it's making me crazy, and I need to save you, but who's going to save me? Please forgive me for whatever I do ...when I don't remember you."

"Wow! I wrote that? Hot stuff!"

"What?! You don't remember what it means?!"

She grabbed another photo and held it up to the Ice King's face, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"Look!"

He began singing the words.

"Marceline, I can feel myself slipping away. I can't remember what it made me say... but I remember that I saw you frown. I swear, it wasn't me…It was the crown. This magic keeps me—"

She joined in, the two singing together. Tears rolled down Marceline's cheeks.

"—alive, but it's making me crazy, and I want to save you, but who's going to save me?! Please forgive me for..."

They continued to sing as Jake looked to Finn in confusion.

"What is going on in there?"

"…I have no idea."

Jake's arms slackened, allowing Melissa to push them off.

"Like I said guys, she has a reason for keeping him here and this isn't any of our business. We should go. We're eavesdropping on something very personal."

Finn and Jake nodded. They exited the cave as Melissa became lost in thought. The phrase 'wreckage of the world' kept replaying in her mind as she walked, and she wondered if the Ice King predated the war.

If that was the case then maybe he knew what happened to the world…but from the way he spoke it seemed like he couldn't remember anything.

Those papers came from somewhere though. She decided she'd have to find her answers there.


	27. Premonition

Melissa practically leapt out of her bed when the door was thrown open with a crash.

"We're going to go check on Billy!"

"What the-FINN. Are you aware of what time it is?!"

"One o'clock in the morning."

"So WHY did you wake me up?"

"I had a premonition!"

"…A premonition? Did you have the snail dream again?"

"Yeah, and Billy was scared and the Cosmic Owl was there so we have to go check on him!"

"Finn-"

"Get dressed or you're going in your pajamas!"

"Ok ok! Sheesh. Give me five minutes."

Eventually Melissa found herself sitting next to Finn inside of Jake, who had taken to pretending to be a car often these days.

"So…Who is Billy?"

"You don't know who Billy is?!"

"You never mentioned him before."

"Oh…Billy is awesome! He saved princesses and destroyed evil. He was a real hero, he even defeated the Lich!"

"The Lich? The one you told me about from before?"

"Yeah…not my finest moment…"

"But you stopped him. That's something to be proud of. Now let's hurry and check on Billy so we can go back to bed."

A couple hours later they finally came to a stop at the base of a rock face, where there was a crack. They entered slowly, Finn and Jake in the lead.

"Hello? Billy?"

As they walked into a larger area Melissa could see a massive treasure pile and a giant, old man sleeping on top of a tv.

"BILLY! WAKE UP!"

Finn and Melissa both jumped as Jake yelled.

The old man woke up agitated.

"Huh?! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS DOIN IN MY CRACK?! IT'S THREE O' CLOCK IN THE MORNING!"

"Oh, you know, just dropped by to say hello... See what you been uh...up to? What uh...How are you these days?"

"We came to see if you were dead! OW!"

Melissa pinched him.

"What? Why would I be dead?!"

"Hehehehe... Yeah...Stupid...Um...I had a dream about a bear, and an old lady, and a snail, and you were there, and the snail killed you… or something..."

Billy's face suddenly turned serious.

"Was the Cosmic Owl there?"

"Yeah! On the tv!...Does that count?"

"Your dream is an ill omen of GRAVE significance."

Billy lowered his huge hand. The three stepped on, lifted easily to his face. Melissa felt her breath catch in her throat and her palms sweat. He seemed…off…but maybe she was just paranoid.

"Finn?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you ready to come with me on a mission to save all life from the Lich?"

"Yes."

Melissa couldn't explain the bad feeling brewing in the back of her mind as they hastily traveled to the outskirts of the Ice Kingdom, listening to Billy's plan as they went. Finn seemed confused.

"Wait...so...we have to snatch gems out of all the crowns of power?"

"That's right."

"Why do we have to snatch them? Can't we just ask for them?"

"No time. The fate of the world hangs in the balance."

They snuck into the Ice King's room. Just as Finn was about to take the crown Melissa stopped him.

"Finn? Is this really ok? This doesn't feel right…"

"Knock it off Mel, we don't have all night!"

Hurt by his tone she shrunk back. Finn had never spoke to her that way, and it only made her more worried.

They took the Ice King's crown jewels and continued onward, robbing several princesses as they slept. Eventually Melissa spent most of her time just waiting nearby unsure of what to do. After a while they rode to a cave and stopped for breakfast sandwiches. Jake turned to Billy and jangled the bag of gems.

"Man, we got so many gems, it's crazy! Hey Billy, how many gems we still need to get? Two? One?"

Billy nodded, visibly confusing and frustrating Jake.

"Wait…Two? Or one?"

He held up one finger.

"Who?"

Melissa sighed.

"Bubblegum."

Finn finished his sandwich and turned to Billy.

"I want dessert!"

He climbed into Billy's saddlebag, which was hanging on his hip.

"You got anything in here?"

Billy swatted him away, angry. Finn fell to the ground with a weird book in his hands. He looked like he recognized it.

"The Enchiridion? How'd you get this?!"

"I found it in the mouth of a bear."

"A…bear?"

"This book is REALLY important. It has magical powers. Turn the little sword sideways."

Melissa watched Finn blush and recalled the story he had told her about the bear that wanted to be like him. She leaned over his shoulder, watching closely as he turned the sword sideways and the book cover opened to reveal slots.

"WOAH!"

The gems leapt from the bag, falling into their proper places. The weird long star one just fell on the ground.

The gems created light beams that formed into a point. Billy waved his hand over it.

"Exhibio Carnotum!"

The orb of light suddenly expanded, turning into a map of some kind.


	28. The Lich

"Whoa! What is this stuff?"

Billy concentrated, a beam of light shooting from the gem on the center of his face at a symbol on the book. A secret door popped open, revealing a little hologram of a chubby man in robes who spoke extremely fast.

"Hello, my name is Booko! What you see here is a map of the multiverse! It shows all the known dimensions and the links between each of them. This is the dimension that contains the universe in which we currently reside."

Jake yelled, "Enhance!"

The hologram sped through universes and planets, showing where they were standing in a loop.

"Woah! Make it stop!"

The chart went back to normal. Booko cleared his throat.

"Anyways, at the center of the multiverse is a dimension called the Time Room, believed to be the quasi-corporeal dwelling place of the almighty Prismo. The Time Room is the single dimension that exists outside of time. The Time Room produces time waves that are experienced by other dimensions. Some dimensions have permanent links that allow travel to and fro. Others become linked temporarily by naturally forming Worm Holes. And others can become linked artificially by magical portals, torn open by items of great power. Once the last gem is inserted into the Enchiridion it will have the power to create a portal to any dimension in the multiverse. An activated portal creates a time dilation in which either end of the portal experiences a temporal synchronization allowing for the safe passage of particles-"

He stopped to breathe for the first time since he started talking.

-through a non-local region of space-time."

Billy tapped Finn on his shoulder.

"I'm going to push the Lich in there."

"Wait!"

Everyone turned to Melissa, who was staring at Booko intently.

"What kind of 'items of great power'?"

"Oh, like these!"

He showed holograms of several items.

"These are known to rip Worm Holes-"

"THIS ONE!"

She pointed to a familiar simple ring with a single jewel laid in it.

"Oh yes, this is the Rift Ring. It originated in the dimension known as the Giants Realm and became lost during a war to harness its power."

"Wait, does this mean I'm not even from this DIMENSION?"

Finn and Jake looked at her in shock.

"So, you didn't travel through time…you traveled through SPACE?"

"Well at least that explains why I couldn't place my timeline in yours…How does it work?"

Booko shrugged. Finn closed the book and stood.

"We can learn more later. Let's get that last gem!"

She followed them to the candy castle. Finn and Jake ran in via balcony and busted through the floor into the room below, leaving Melissa above them confused as to why they didn't just go downstairs and use the door.

Bubblegum screamed.

"WHO'S THERE?!"

She was holding a pair of scissors and standing in front of one of her candy experiments. Finn ran up to her.

"Princess! Princess! I need the gem from your crown!"

"WHAT?! NO!"

Finn ignored her and tried to take it anyway. Bubblegum fought with him as Melissa stared on perplexed.

"What the? GET OFF! GET OFF OF ME!"

She sliced Finn's cheek with the scissors as he knocked her crown off. Melissa dropped down between them. Finn hissed at them.

"FINN! Why are you acting like this?!"

He grabbed the crown and popped out the jewel, stretching out with Jake as he inserted it into the Enchiridion.

"Finn! Wait!"

Melissa and Bubblegum rushed outside. Billy was beckoning Jake from a safe distance away near the woods. Bubblegum's eyes grew wide and she began sprinting towards them.

"FINN! STOP! That's not Billy! IT'S THE LICH!"

"LICH ALERT! LICH ALERT!"

A patrolling Gumball Guardian appeared and shot a laser at Billy, incinerating half of his face. Now Melissa could see that it wasn't the old man at all, but a horrifying ghoul wearing his skin.

Melissa turned to Bubblegum abruptly.

"THAT'S why he felt off! The stones were blocking his magic! That was the feeling I was having!"

"BILLY!"

Finn ran to the Lich and then suddenly stopped.

"Ba…Billy?"

The two just stood there staring at each other. Melissa ran towards them.

"Finn! Fight it! He's in your head! I can sense it!"

As she got closer the Lich swatted her, sending her tumbling away with much more force than necessary. Jake barely managed to stop her from being thrown into the wall of the castle. He lowered her to the ground and she coughed, sitting up just in time to watch Finn bust the Enchiridion over his knee. The book leapt forward and imploded into a portal. Bubblegum began screaming again.

"NO! Finn! WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

He came to, shaking his head groggily.

"Huh…what?"

"Thanks Finn! I couldn't have done it without you!"

The Lich approached the portal.

"JAKE STOP HIM! DON'T LET HIM GET THROUGH!"

Jake grabbed ahold of him, but was thrown off. Wincing he managed to grab the Lich's ankles as he disappeared through the portal, dragging Jake across the ground behind him. Melissa grabbed Jake's arms, trying to help pull him back.

"FINN! HELP US!"

"R-Right!"

Running forward he grabbed ahold of Jake as well, and the three were pulled through the portal as it closed behind them.


	29. The Time Room

Finn, Jake, and Melissa fell out of the portal onto a floating chunk of land in a new dimension. Sitting up slowly they looked up to find the Lich leaping across rocks towards a huge, golden cube with a small hole in the side.

Jumping onto Jake's back Finn pulled Melissa up. She coughed and held her side as they moved. Rushing forward they entered the cube just in time to see the Lich vanish.

"WHAT?! He's gone!"

"What happened?"

Looking to the wall they saw a strange, distorted humanoid shadow. It spoke to them.

"Hey, hey! Did you guys see that? You know that was a ghost wearing a dead guy? That might be the nastiest thing I've ever seen. Na-na-na-na-nasty!"

Jake pointed at him angrily as he lowered them to the floor of the cube.

"Hey, hey! Easy, buddy! That's our friend Billy! He got possessed by the Lich!"

"Oh! Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean nothin' by it! I mean, I have a lot of nasty friends. My uncle is nasty. I'm basically honorary nasty."

"Do you know where he went? We have to find our friend."

"Who knows?"

"Oh…"

"Actually, it depends on the wish I granted him."

"Wish?"

"Yeah, he wished for the extinction of all life and I did it. I guess it changed his timeline or something?"

The three deadpanned. Finn grabbed the sides of his head, having a panic attack.

"WHAT?! OH GLOB!"

Jake put a hand on Finn's shoulder in an effort to put him at ease and turned to Prismo.

"Whoa, wait a minute. How can that be if I'm still here kickin' it with my main man, Finn?"

"Oh, that's because you're safe in my time room until you make YOUR wish."

"Oh…Hmm…"

"I wish that life wasn't anymore extinc—"

Finn stopped him abruptly.

"Whoa! Wait, Jake. Don't mess this up. Think about it: if we wish everything back to normal, the Lich could just mess it up again."

"Oh yeah."

"Hmm…"

"Hmmm…"

"I got it! I wish... the Lich... never... even ever existed!"

Finn vanished. Jake and Melissa looked around frantically.

"Finn? Finn?! What did you do with him?"

"Oh, when he wished for the Lich to have never existed Finn left my time room and entered his wish altered reality. We can watch him on my TV wall."

A remote appeared. He clicked it, showing Finn setting on a log playing a flute while Jake (who looked like a completely normal dog) slept beside him. Finn's right arm was missing and had been replaced with a metal claw-like structure.

"Whoa. Alternate-wish-world-Finn is mad uglies! Hey, I'm mad uglies too! Everything looks different!"

"Yes, sometimes a well intentioned wish can lead to drastic change. But you know, you get a wish too."

"Really?!"

Melissa sighed in relief. They had two more chances to get this right…

"I wish for a sandwich!"

Melissa looked at him mortified.

"A sandwich? You're gonna waste your one wish on a sandwich?! You don't want anything else?"

"Nah, sandwich is good, maybe about...this big...or this big. On ciabatta bread maybe...mmm I don't know, whatever you have is your choice."

Melissa slapped Jake, making him turn on her angrily.

"What was that for?!"

"SERIOUSLY?!"

Prismo cleared his throat, gaining their attention so he could defuse the situation.

"Dude, I'll just make you a sandwich! You should use your wish on something important. You know... on someone who might need it. Like your friend."

Prismo made Jake a sandwich while they watched the screen. Melissa saw Finn's family was in trouble and they were selling the donkey. Now they were sitting together, the donkey wandering off while Finn talked to himself.

"I'm sorry, Bartram. I guess Dad must be in real trouble to be doin' this. But, I bet there's a lot o' fine folk lookin' to buy a good mule. Why, I bet I could even come visit sometimes. Won't that be swell, Bartram?"

Finn turned around and slowly realized the donkey was up a tree.

"Bartram? Dang it Bartram! Bar Bar! What the- Bar Bar, how'd ya get up there?"

Walking towards it he fell through some bushes into a cave. Melissa gasped when she saw a familiar crown lying next to a skeleton pinned under a bomb frozen in ice.

"Jake, look! Golden crown! Unbelievable! We can sell it and keep Bartram!"

"Hold it right there!"

"Who are you?!"

"I'm a thousand years old and this is my crown!"

Melissa gasped. Was that Marceline?!

"Okay, okay! But, um, maybe I could just borrow it for a little while."

"Noooo! No! Noo! This crown is magic. Bad, terrible magic. Too dangerous for mortal fingies like yours! One thousand years ago, my beloved friend Simon Petrikov gave his life to save this foolish, unworthy planet from annihilation. A frightful bomb was poised to bathe the land in mutagenic horror, but using his mastery of ice and snow, Simon froze the bomb in mid-flight only inches from the ground, where it remains to this very day, ever ripe and ready to blow. But he alone was not saved. Trapped under the giant weight of the enormous bomb, poor Simon perished! And the horrible crown, grieving its lost master, loosed a spasm of magic so wild and crazy the entire earth was buried in ice for four hundred boring years."

Melissa frowned. Petrikov? That name sounded familiar.

"Uhh, none o' that is true, 'cause magic is fake. Daddy says the false prophets of old used cheap parlor tricks to control the people. And to get babes. Like 10 or 12 hot babes each."

"No! Magic is-"

Prismo muted the sound. Melissa turned to him.

"Does this mean Ice- I mean, Simon could have stopped the bomb but didn't?"

"Looks like it."

She sighed and looked at Jake, who had turned his butt into a chair and sat down to watch while he ate his sandwich. They watched for a few more minutes as Finn went into town with the crown and was ambushed by thugs who then proceeded to burn down the town. Prismo looked to Jake.

"Looks like your friend is having a pretty rough time."

"Mmm, yeah, oh well. It's Finn's wish, let's just see how it plays out. I got confidence in my boy! Besides, I'll hang onto my wish in case I need it."

Prismo looked towards Melissa.

"What about you?"

"And leave him here with the final wish?"

"…I see your point."

"Aww!"

They looked over Jake, who was mourning the loss of the pickle that had fallen out of his sandwich.

"Don't worry dude I gotcha covered! They're homemade."

Prismo materialized a jar of pickles at Jake's feet.

"I love you Prismo."

Prismo laughed and blushed.

"I'm serious man, you're like a strong number three on my 'Cool Guys List.' Ah man, my dad use to make pickles. It's all he use to talk about, he'd obsess about them all the time, when I'd come in from playing he'd be like: "Here, Jake, try these!" And they'd be pretty crunchy... actually you'd think they'd be soft but they weren't. I'd be like: "Wow dad! You'd made these pretty good!" Yeah, that was dad."

They started talking about pickles and Melissa sighed, watching Finn on the screen.


	30. Make A Wish

By now Prismo had materialized a hot tub, which he and Jake were chilling in. Melissa, however, was pacing the floor.

"Dude, I get out of relationships because I don't want to have a discussion about what we're gonna have for dinner every night! Cause when I'm alone I can just sit on the couch and I'm hungry I can eat whatever I want. It's not like: "What should we eat for breakfast? Wait! We should coordinate!" That's a pain."

"Man your view of relationships is very bleak, don't you get lonely?"

"I have friends."

Melissa shook her head and stared at the screen intently. Now Finn's home was on fire.

"See? She looks good huh?"

Melissa turned to them confused, crossing her arms. She felt chilly…

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

She looked down to find herself in a bikini, grass skirt, and those flower accessory things.

"Sorry, sorry, we just…hey Mel? You look kinda bruised…"

Melissa noticed the large bruise on her side for the first time.

"Oh…I guess I cracked a rib back there or something."

"I got it."

Prismo snapped his fingers and Melissa found herself fully clothed with her wound healed. She prodded at her side and felt no pain.

"Thank you, and uh…why exactly was I just dressed like a hula dancer?"

"I dared Prismo. He came through though, so I gotta give him relationship advice."

"You guys are strange."

There was a noise and everyone looked up to see a huge glowing owl in the entrance.

"Hello, hello. Hey, so I brought over the-What is this singular doing in this realm?!"

"He's just here making a wish, Cosmic Owl."

"But I brought games! We were gonna hang!"

"After. Come on, get in here."

Melissa turned back to the screen and bit her nails as she watched. Finn had put on the crown and saved his family, but lost control of his power. As she watched he threw around ice bolts until a huge explosion went off.

Finn had set off the bomb.

She felt a heavy weight in her stomach as she watched the green mushroom cloud reach into the sky, forcing Finn to use an ice shield to save himself from the disgusting radioactive smog. She put her hands over her mouth and watched the scene tensely as Finn's wish world was destroyed.

"Relax."

She turned around to find Prismo had materialized an armchair next to her. One of those huge, fuzzy blankets was folded up on the arm.

"If you keep that up you won't have fingers left."

They went back to chatting in the hot tub. Prismo was right; being anxious wasn't going to save Finn or the universe. She just hoped Jake would realize the severity of their situation soon….

She sat in the chair and wrapped the blanket around herself, closing her eyes and trying to stay calm. The blue fuzz reminded her of a baby blanket and soon put her at ease. She could hear them talking.

"Three, two, one, go!"

Prismo began beat boxing and she rolled her eyes, pulling the blanket up over her head. Jake started singing about his pruny back and she mentally promised herself she would beat him when they were back home.

"Jake... Jake, what are you doing?"

Melissa threw the blanket off and turned towards the screen. Someone had unmuted it, and now Jake was menacingly approaching Finn onscreen. She felt sick when she realized the Jake of that world had been possessed by the Lich…

Her eyes grew wide as the realization dawned on her that the Lich was the bomb that had initially destroyed and altered Ooo. She looked at Jake, who was staring at the screen confused.

"Back off my crown, Jake! I warn you!"

"Hey man, I'm right here! That's not me man! Finn! I'm in the spa bath! Oh man!"

The Jake onscreen grew into a threatening altered form. His head split open revealing the Lich as he leapt at Finn and the screen went to static.

"Maybe now, you would like to use your wish?"

"Make Finn okay! I wish for a safe Finn!"

"Wait, dude! Look, I like you, so you should know my wishes always got an ironic twist to them. It's like a monkey's paw kind of thing."

"What?"

"You just gotta be really specific. Say your wish is: "I wish for a back rub." Who's gonna give it to you? A dirty man? A bear? And where does this 'masseuse' come from? Do I zap some guy away from his family dinner? Leave some kid traumatized?"

Jake just stared at him with his mouth open in shock.

"You see, Jake there are rules to this stuff, wishing an event to be changes elements before and after it. Memories will be destroyed, babies will not be born. Potential worlds could be evaporated by YOUR wish!"

Jake let out a gurgling sound and vomited into the tub water. Prismo and the Cosmic Owl jumped out quickly.

"Ewww!"

"I'm sorry, that's a lot of pressure man..."

Melissa walked over to Jake as he climbed out himself.

"Now do you see the importance of what's going on here?"

"Y-yeah…oh man...Mel, this is bad!"

Prismo looked at Jake and materialized an egg.

"Focus, Jake! Here, eat this egg, it's brain food."

"O-okay. Think... think!"

They all stared and watched Jake for a moment before Prismo sighed.

"Okay, there is a way to bring back all life and get home. You just have to ch..."

"Chaaange..."

"The Lii-"

"The lipstick!"

"The Liiich's..."

"Change the Lich's wish!"

"And go home."

"I wish the Lich's wish was for me, Finn, and Melissa, to go back home to Ooo!"

"I can work with that. Alright, this has been nice, see ya!"

Jake vanished. Prismo turned to Melissa.

"You're turn. Be careful."


	31. Searching For Closure

When Melissa opened her eyes again she was on Jake's back with Finn, watching the Lich make his wish.

"I wish for Finn, Jake, and Melissa to go back home to Ooo. Huh!? No wait, what's not what I wished for!"

"Sorry guy, you only get one wish. Hey Jake, did you see that? Monkey's paw."

There was a flash of light and then they all found themselves laying on the ground where the portal had been.

Melissa turned to Finn, who was beside her, and threw both her arms around his neck.

"Finn! You're ok!"

"What the? Why would the Lich wish... what? Melissa?!"

Jake pounced both of them, wrapped everyone in a group hug.

"It worked!"

"Jake! This is serious! Something really messed up is happening!"

"Ha ha! It already happened! And it never happened!"

Bubblegum, who had been standing there the whole time, looked at them scared and confused.

"What? What happened?!"

"Nothing, cause I saved everybody!"

Everyone paused as the gems of power floated up off of ground and shot through the air. Bubblegum sighed in relief.

"Good, they're going back to where they belong. Now can someone PLEASE explain what happened?!"

Melissa let go of Finn and stood, quickly explaining what had happened to everyone. Finn fist bumped Jake and grinned.

"Thanks brother, you saved us all!"

She smiled. Without the potent magic from the Lich influencing him, Finn had returned to normal. She liked Finn this way and hoped he would never change. Blushing slightly she pushed thoughts of him out of her head and just watched the happy reunion.

"What's that?"

Everyone turned and looked at a jar of pickles on the ground next to Jake.

"They're pickles from Prismo!"

Something fell on Melissa's head. Pulling it off she realized it was the fuzzy blue blanket from before. It had a note attached.

_Be the voice of reason, those two need you. –P_

She turned the note over and found a pencil attached to it. She sat and drew on the paper while everyone chatted until Finn and Jake decided it would be best to head home and sleep. She tucked the paper in her pocket and wrapped the blanket around herself as they all headed home.

They had been walking and chatting for a while before Jake suddenly turned to Melissa.

"Hey, now that I think about it…didn't you have a wish to?"

"Yeah, I made mine."

"What was it?"

"To summarize, I wished for Prismo to make me a map that showed me where my father was and allow me to study it."

"Why didn't you just wish for the map?"

"Because your wish canceled all of our wishes. You wished the Lich would wish us home, so we never entered the Time Room to make our wishes. I asked Prismo if we would remember this and he said he'd allow you, Jake, and myself to remember our time there. So I wished for something I could commit to memory since the wishes wouldn't happen after that anyway."

"Oh…I still don't get it…"

Finn nodded.

"Alright! You know where he is, let's go get him!"

"Tomorrow."

Tomorrow? But your dad-"

"He will still be there. We need to rest before we set off on another excursion."

With that they reached the treehouse and headed to bed. Melissa took the paper out and reviewed her crudely drawn map once more to refresh her memory before she curled up in her blanket and quickly fell asleep.


	32. A New Blade

The next afternoon the three found themselves at the base of a grassy hill. Finn looked around expectantly.

"Is this it?"

"This is the place."

"But it's just a hill…"

Melissa walked around the side of it and bent down, tearing back a layer of grass and dirt to reveal a dark tunnel leading downwards. Finn drew his sword excitedly.

"Woo! Dungeon time!"

Jake punched him.

"I-I mean not woo…I mean, I-"

Melissa laughed at his embarrassment.

"Its fine, come on! The dungeon isn't going to explore itself."

They walked through the entrance, watching as the torches on the walls lit themselves and the entrance was re-covered.

"Looks like we aren't getting out the way we came…"

Finn retrieved a torch from the wall and they continued onward, eventually coming into a room at the end. Inside were armed skeletons that Finn and Jake quickly dispatched while Melissa investigated the room.

"I found a key."

"Cool, wonder what it's to?"

They made their way through passages, unlocking doors and chests as they went. Eventually Jake turned to her uncertainly as Finn looted another room.

"Are you sure your father is down here?"

"Yep."

"But we haven't seen any sign of him and we've been down here forever…"

"Give it time."

He sighed and they began walking towards Finn. They managed to get half way across the room before Melissa stepped on an odd rock. It shifted and a hole opened in the ground, causing her to slide screaming down a narrow tunnel.

"Meli-"

The tunnel closed above her too quickly for the boys to grab her.

She gained speed the farther she slid until finally she shot out into a pitch black room, hitting the ground with a pained groan.

"Ow…Where am I? I can't see anything…"

Getting up slowly she felt something crunch underfoot.

"Hello morsssssssssssel."

Melissa jumped and spun towards the noise.

"W-Who's there?!"

"No one you sssssssshould be conssssssssserned with."

It sounded like the voice was coming from all around her. Slowly reaching into her pocket she retrieved her uncle's lighter and struck a flame.

In the dim light she could barely see the enormous, three-headed snake creature eyeing her hungrily from only a few feet away. Its slimy skin glistened in the flickering lights as its eyes narrowed at her angrily. She gasped and began moving backwards, tripping over something as she went. She hit the ground and dropped the lighter, leaving her in total darkness.

"Where is it?!"

"Sssssssslippery fingersssssss human?"

She felt around in the darkness, her hands finding everything except the lighter. Something slimy brushed over her shoulder causing her to stiffen and flinch away.

"Sssssssshall we play with our food?"

"Terror alwayssssssss adds a nice tasssssssste."

"Brother, we don't want to over ssssssssseason her."

She continued to search and located something that felt like a bone, standing up to use it as a weapon. The slimy thing came back and she swatted it away, snapping the bone in the process.

"Sssssssshe hit our tail!"

"What impertinenssssssssse!"

"Playtime isssssssss over!"

The tail hit her with force this time, sending her flying back into a pile of bones. She rolled out of the way something slammed down where she had previously been laying.

She reached around her when something sliced her palm. She retracted her hand quickly in pain before reaching down more cautiously, her hand meeting cold metal.

She followed the metal to what felt like a hilt, so she grabbed it and stood quickly. She heard the tail approaching and swung at it, the blade easily cutting through it. The snake hissed and spat, thrashing towards her as she continued to slice at it.

Finally the thing stopped moving and the torches around the room lit on their own. She stared in confusion at the dead serpent. The snake was completely intact and seemed unharmed.

She looked at her palm, surprised to find it wasn't lacerated like she had expected.

Holding the blade up to the light she realized it was a rapier with a gold hilt characteristic of a fencing blade. There were runes carved into the base of the blade she couldn't read, and she experimentally ran her thumb down the blade.

She recoiled in pain as though her thumb had been sliced off, but to her amazement she was completely unscathed.

"Melissa!"

She jumped and turned around in time to see a boulder roll out of the way, Finn and Jake standing on the other side of it.

"Are you ok?!"

"I'm fine."

"Woah! You beat the boss all by yourself!"

"I found a sword too. I think it's enchanted."

"Cool!"

They searched around for the sheath and the lighter, quickly finding them in the bone filled room. She tied the leather sheath to her belt and returned her sword to it. Slipping the lighter into her pocket she turned to the boys.

"Mel, we must have been through every inch of this dungeon and we haven't found your dad."

"Just give me a little bit longer…"

Jake started to argue, but Finn stopped him. Melissa began walking forward through the dungeon ahead of them.


	33. Words Of Her Father

She spotted an opening low to the ground and began crawling through.

"Mel, I don't think that-"

"Just wait there, ok?"

The boys nodded hesitantly as she dropped through the opening, falling down a few feet into a low room. She stood still for a moment looking at the skeleton there.

It was completely bare of flesh, wearing an old tattered leather jacket and ratty jeans. She stepped over the old dirty sneakers and bent down over the skeleton. She pulled the collar up and found exactly what she was looking for.

A little blue bird earring her father wore as a pin. She had her ears pierced when she was three but she always cried when her mother tried to make her wear her earrings, so to make her feel better he started wearing one of them as a pin.

Melissa sighed and took off her bag. She had left the contents on her bed so it was empty.

Carefully she began packing her father's bones and other articles he had into her bag. She checked the place over several time before climbing out easily. Finn looked at her expectantly.

"Did you find him?"

"Yeah…"

Jake looked past her.

"…Where is he?"

"He's uh…in my backpack…"

"Is he tiny?"

Finn poked Jake awkwardly.

"I uh…I don't think he's alive Jake…"

"Oh…"

They hurriedly exited the dungeon and headed home. Finn and Jake didn't say much, though Melissa tried to start up a conversation several times. Back at the tree house they found a nearby raised area to bury him in.

It took a majority of the afternoon to build a makeshift casket and properly bury Melissa's father. They hammered the cross into the ground at the head and stood back to look at the grave.

"I wish I could send your body home dad. You probably would have preferred that, but this is the best I can do."

Finn stepped beside Melissa.

"I'm sorry Mel…"

"It's ok Finn."

"You…don't seem as upset as I expected…"

"The moment I found out my father had come to Ooo I knew he was dead."

"Huh?"

"I just wanted to bury him."

"But, if you knew he was dead why didn't you wish he was alive?"

"Because I had no idea what that would do to your timeline. He could have just died again or had an adverse effect, and either way I haven't seen him since I was four. I don't remember much about him, I just wanted to give him a proper burial."

"Melissa…I had no idea…"

"Don't worry about it. I like where I am right now, so it's ok."

She was surprised when Finn awkwardly held an arm out to her. She was even more surprised when he wrapped her in a quick hug.

"You don't have to face everything alone you know. Let your friends be there for you sometimes."

Melissa hugged him back, the two separating with slight blushes.

"Thank you Finn…You're a good friend…"

"Yeah…"

Jake, who had watched the events unfold silently, let out a cough.

"We should uh, go back inside."

"Y-yeah."

Heading in Melissa went straight to her room. She laid on her bed and retrieved a journal she had found in her father's coat pocket while she was collecting his bones. Rolling the little metal bird between her fingers she began reading the old, yellowing pages.

_April 26_

_Order new engine parts. List in desk._

_April 27_

_M birthday in two weeks. Call J._

She flipped forward a few more pages.

_May 5_

_Just arrived on the ranch. Waiting for package._

_May 6_

_Earlier today my brother showed me a silver thing he found on his property. I put it on just for a laugh but now I'm in a city made of candy. The people here are nice, especially their Princess who has offered to let me live in her castle, but nobody knows how to send me home. I have to get back. My family is waiting for me._

_May 7_

_I was attacked by tiny hotdogs with spears today while searching for a way home. Their Princess called them off and told me she heard of somewhere I can look. She gave me a map._

_May 9_

_It took almost two days, but I finally found the place. It's a hill with a hole in the side. I don't know what is in there, but if there is a way home inside then I won't hesitate._

_May 1o_

_I should have never come here. The place is crawling with snakes and animated skeletons. I just barely managed to escape but one bit me. I think I'm dying. I can't feel my leg. Must find a way out._

_May 11_

_It's hopeless. This is it. I'll never see my loving wife or my beautiful daughter again. Today is Melissa's birthday. I promised I would be there, I hope she can forgive me. I miss her so much. I prayed she would grow up strong and smart like her mother. Sable must be worried about me. I've never disappeared like this before, we've been married six years. I know she will take good care of Melissa. I wonder what urgent thing she was going to tell me when I returned. She was happy, so it must be good news. Maybe this world shares the same Heaven as ours so I can watch over them._

_Happy Birthday Melissa. I love you._

Folded up on the bottom on the page were slightly frayed ribbons. They must have been what he had gone to her uncle's ranch to get. They looked handmade.

Gently she removed them and placed them in her nightstand drawer. Taking the pin she found the other, one she had always kept on her house keys pinned to a keychain, and reunited the earrings in the drawer with her ribbons. She wondered if he wouldn't have gone if her mother had told him she was pregnant again before he left.

She wrapped the journal in cloth and put it away with the picture. The whole ordeal had been draining, but it had given her the ability to finally say goodbye. She looked out her window towards his grave.

"I forgive you. I love you too dad."


	34. Up A Tree

Melissa smoothed a picnic blanket out in the field, standing aside so Jake could help Lady curl up on it. He hadn't had much time in the past few days to see her so they all decided a nice picnic was in order. Finn was unpacking the drinks and baked goods next to her.

"Oh! Oh, man! My throwing and catching disc! Jake! Wanna play throw-n-catch throwing a catching disc?!"

"Ha ha! Yeah man!"

"Throw-n-catch! Throw-n-catch!"

Melissa just laughed. She was too entertained by the spectacle to tell Finn and Jake that they were playing Frisbee. Instead she lit the tea warmer and retrieved the pot to make Lady a cup, trying hard to understand what she was saying. She was learning a lot of Korean from Lady these days.

"They are silly."

"Yeah, definitely children at heart."

"What kind of tea is that?"

"Oolong tea."

"It smells nice."

They both looked up then as Jake yelled to Finn.

"I call being dog and you be human!"

"Alright!"

"Dog! Dog Dog Dog Dog!"

"You mean 'bark'?"

"What? Oh yeah. Bark! Bark Bark Bark Bark!"

"Back up a little! Little more. More! And now for the perfect throw! Peeeeerfeeeeeeect Throoooooow!"

The Frisbee flew up into a tall tree. Melissa and Lady both laughed.

"More like the perfect blow! That blew."

"Aw, come on! That was the wind! The wind blows!"

"Hey, you want me to grab it?"

"Nah, I'll get it! Sometimes a man just has to retrieve his own disc."

Finn disappeared up the tree and Jake came back over to them. They chatted and snacked for a couple hours until Melissa looked back over at the tree.

"Isn't Finn taking a while?"

"I'll go look."

He came back a few minutes later and shrugged.

"Finn ate a magic apple so he's tiny but he doesn't want help so I'm gonna walk Lady home."

"Wait, what?!"

Jake packed up and helped Lady stand. Melissa reluctantly told them goodbye before heading to the tree.

"Finn? Are you up there? Hello?"

"Hey, human girl."

She looked over to see a chipmunk on one of the lower branches.

"Oh, hello. Have you seen my friend Finn?"

"Uh, nope. Haven't seen 'em."

"…Are you sure?"

"…Uh…Yes?"

She grabbed a low branch and hauled herself up it easily.

"Wait!"

Straddling the branch she looked back over her shoulder at him.

"What?"

"You can't come up here!"

"I won't be long."

She stood and started to grab another branch when something smacked her face, knocking her out of the tree. She hit the ground winded and looked up at a beaver that apparently had been waiting to ambush her.

"WHY did you do that?"

"The tree rejects you human! Go back, before we capture you too!"

"Capture? Do you have Finn in there?"

"In the tree, part of the tree."

Getting up she hauled herself back up the branch again.

"Either leave or become part of the tree!"

Picking up a branch she batted the beaver off easily. He disappeared into the grass several feet away.

"I will never understand Ooo. Little cultist woodland creatures are just…weird…"

She continued climbing up until she reached a small group of squirrels.

"…Are you going to attack me too?"

Pulling acorns out from behind their fuzzy backs they pelted her with them, making her lose her balance and fall out of the tree again.

"Alright, fine."

Getting up she began the long march home angrily, plotting all the ways she could destroy that tree as she stomped along.

"Why does Finn always manage to find the strangest ways to get in trouble?"

She muttered to herself and sighed until she heard a voice from behind her. Turning she spotted the Frisbee flying through the air with a rodent sized Finn and a squirrel on board.

"…And always manage to find the strangest ways to get out of it…"

Running backwards she managed to catch the disk in time, Finn and his furry friend slamming into her stomach safely and bouncing to the ground. Bending down she looked at them questioningly.

"It was the perfect throw! You won't BELIEVE what happened! Oh, and this is my new bro, he's a flying squirrel."

Melissa eyed the average, everyday squirrel in confusion and then held her hands down, lifting them to her shoulders.

"I'm sure you can fill me in on the way home."

She walked a couple of feet and then shrieked as Finn abruptly expanded and knocked her off balance, making them all fall over. He fist pumped the air.

"I'm big again!"


	35. Jake The Dad

A huge crash downstairs startled Melissa out of her sleep. Running into the living room in her pajamas she groggily swung her foil around.

"What? Intruder?"

"PUPPIES!"

"Puppies?"

"MOVE!"

Jake shoved her out of the way, grabbing a bag from behind the couch.

"Puppies?...OH!"

Finn, who had been in the kitchen with BMO, came out quickly with a sack and handed it to Jake as he rushed out the door.

"Good luck man!"

"Call us soon!"

They all turned and looked at each other.

"…Should we go back to bed?"

"But what if Jake calls?"

"But it's two in the morning…"

Eventually they settled on waiting, which soon turned into Finn snoring on the couch and Melissa sleeping on the floor. BMO answered the phone when it rang and then woke them up with his absurdly loud alarm.

"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?! WHAT'S THAT NOISE?!"

"Jake called, Lady had five Rainicorn/Dog hybrid puppies."

"Let's go see them!"

They got dressed and Melissa picked up BMO, carrying him to Lady's house while he happily chanted, "Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!"

Finn entered first.

"Hey Jake! Hey Lady! We came to see your new pups!"

"Puppies!"

BMO leapt out of Melissa's arms and rushed over to Jake, bouncing up and down happily.

"They're still pretty sleepy. Sleepy little sweeties. Pups, meet everybody!"

He pulled them out of the bundle one by one and introduced them.

"This is Charlie, T.V., Viola, Kim Kil Whan, and this sweet little lady is Jake Jr.!"

Melissa wondered if Jake knew his name was gender specific.

They crowded around the bundle and Finn pulled the blanket back slightly.

"Aww! Preeeeetty cute!"

"Yeah, Finn. I love all my little babies so much. I'm not gonna let anything happen to them!"

"Dude! Real talk! Are you worried about being a dad?"

"No way! Check this out! It's Mom's manual for raising beautiful children."

"Oh dude, Mom! She'd have been so proud to see you and your pups."

At that point Jake started crying profusely so Melissa and BMO started playing with a couple of the puppies. Viola was playing tug-of-war with BMO using his controller and Melissa had put her legs straight out and together for T.V. to roll up and down on since he seemed to be having fun rolling around. BMO giggled and called to Jake.

"Look! Look!"

"Aw, BMO! When was the last time you washed your controller?"

He snatched Viola up and then turned to Melissa with a gasp.

"And when was the last time you washed your legs?"

"Excuse me?..."

He grabbed T.V. and turned to Finn with a mortified look. Finn had Charlie and Kim Kil Whan pinned down under his leg while he tossed Jake Jr. into the air. Although the pups were obviously having fun and weren't in any danger Jake still hastily picked them up and backed up with them cautiously.

"We were just wrestling! Cool uncle wrestling."

"Um, ah, I-I think it's gettin' kinda late. Um, puppies need sleep."

Melissa raised an eyebrow at him. She could understand not wanting them to bite BMO's controller but this seemed like a little much. Finn didn't seem to get the hint.

"Okay?"

"Uhhh, Finn, you should go home. I'm gonna live with Lady and the pups from now on. I'm a dad now. It's a pretty big thing."

"Oh…"

Finn's shoulders sagged. He looked extremely disappointed. BMO noticed and tugged on his sock.

"Who wants to play video games?"

"Yeah, okay…I guess we'll take off."

"We'll hang out soon…"

"No problem, congrats again."

Melissa scooped up BMO and they left quickly. Finn walked quietly looking defeated.

"Are you ok Finn?"

"Yeah…It's just weird. This is the first time in years Jake and I haven't been roomies."

"He has a family now. It isn't like you won't see each other anymore, you just won't see him all the time."

"I guess…"

"…If we stop by Tree Trunks for pie will that cheer you up?"

He immediately perked up.

"Yeah! Her apple pie is the best!"

They headed over and entered her little house.

"Oh hello Finn and Melissa, what brings you here?"

"Finn's feeling down, so we thought we'd stop by."

"Oh I know just the thing. I just picked a bunch of fresh, ripe apples. Can you help me slice them?"

Finn elbowed Melissa excitedly.

"Use your weird skinny sword!"

"It's a fencing blade Finn."

Drawing the slender blade from its sheath she swung it down on the apple.

Which it passed through, making a loud click as it collided with the counter.

"Hmmm…"

Tree Trunks stared in confusion.

"It…it went right on through it without a scratch."

"But it hit the counter…It even put a little scratch in it."

Sheathing the blade she picked up a knife and began slicing the apples. Finn eyed the hilt with his arms crossed.

"Man, that sword is useless. It can't even cut an apple."

"It killed that huge snake, remember?"

"I don't know Mel. There's something off about that sword."

She turned and replied sarcastically.

"You think? It probably has something to do with those runes. Too bad I can't read them…"

They finished up the pie and thanked Tree Trunks before heading home. That afternoon the door opened.

"Hey guys. I'm back."

Finn turned to Jake, obviously concerned.

"Is everything ok?"

"Did you ruin it?"

Melissa chocked on her soda and pushed BMO behind her back.

"Nah, nah, it's cool. It turns out the pups can pretty much take care of themselves. They don't really need me around."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I guess Rainicorns age really fast. They're basically like, older than me already. Kil Whan has a beard now!"

"Woah!"

"Ah, it's okay! I got a slammin' family right here too!"

He pulled Finn and Melissa into a hug.

"Plus all my stuff is here."


	36. Davey

"I'm here just in time!"

Jake made a catapult with his hand, launching Finn in the air towards the dragon that had been terrorizing the candy people. He sliced it in half, allowing the eaten candy people to pour out unharmed.

Finn landed gracefully beside Jake, who slapped his shoulder proudly.

"Don't let the dragon drag on, man."

"Haha, you need better puns."

The candy people rushed Finn.

"Sign my rock!"

"FINN! HAVE DINNER WITH ME! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! FINN!"

Finn waved his hands in front of himself awkwardly.

"Sure, man. Yeah. Sure, sometime."

"How about... EVERY NIGHT! THIS WEEK!"

"Well, maybe one night."

"C'mon, man! Every night!"

Another candy person punched him right in front of Finn.

"No, man! You get out of here!"

"Woah, wait! Don't fight!"

More candy people began fighting for attention so the three quickly ran home.

"HAVE DINNER WITH ME! HAVE DINNER! I WANT DINNER! FINN!"

"NO!"

They slammed the door and locked it, listening to the fists banging on the door. They were still yelling for Finn.

"You've been extremely popular, Finn. At this rate we may have to hire bouncers for our lawn."

Finn sighed.

"I hope this group goes home soon. I'm getting tired of being chased around all the time."

A few ours later Jake and Melissa were making lunch.

"Finn, can you get us some wood for the stove? We're out again."

"Yeah, one second."

Finn opened the door and then slammed it shut again.

"FINN! DINNER! COME ON!"

He looked at them exasperated.

"They were asleep on the lawn!"

Jake marched outside, irritated.

"ALRIGHT! TIME TO LEAVE, PACK UP PEOPLE!"

BMO tugged on Finn's shorts.

"Finn, can't go outside today?"

"I guess I could. I just don't want to deal with those guys right now."

"Ooooohhhhhh... Deal with me!"

He put on a black mask.

"Let's play Cops and Robbers! Give me your bank account! Bang! Bang!"

BMO tripped and fell over, still pointing his finger at Finn like a gun.

"Reach for the roof and give me all your gold bricks."

"Ah, okay, okay, don't hurt me!"

"Don't worry, Finn. It's only me, BMO! I'm wearing a disguise!"

"Hmm…"

Finn vanished upstairs while Melissa finished up lunch. Jake was still outside trying to convince everyone to leave. She could hear their voices echoing down the passage.

"Your beauty's destroyed!"

"BMO, how do I look?"

"LIKE THE DEVIL!"

She could hear footsteps as she loaded some BBQ chicken on the platter.

"Hey Mel, how do I look?"

She turned around and screamed, dropping the platter and stumbling backwards.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"

Jake rushed inside after hearing the scream and spotted Finn.

"Intruder! Finn! There's an intruder in here!"

"No! It's me! It's Finn! This is my alter-ego...Davey Johnson!"

They all stared at him in shock. He had shaved off a good majority of his hair, giving himself one of those old man balding spots. Some of it was glued to his upper lip like a mustache and somehow he had dyed it brown.

"I'll dress up like this so no one bothers me about being Finn."

"Do you think that'll going to do the trick?"

Melissa, who was picking up the soiled food with BMO, looked up at him.

"Won't it be suspicious since you didn't change your clothes?"

Finn ignored her and strolled out of the house. She turned to Jake with a worried glance, but he just shrugged.

Finn didn't come home until late. When he walked in Melissa and Jake were playing Adventure Dungeon on BMO.

"Man, today was awesome. Just normal, y'know? Just like a normal day. No drama or any of that. Just super normal. Man it was great."

"That's cool."

Jake yawned.

"Ready for bed, Finn?"

"I'm Davey."

"Haha! Yeah…Come on man."

They all went to bed after that. The next morning Melissa was awoken by Jake, who was shaking her violently.

"I need your help man! Finn has LOST IT."

He dragged her outside where she found Finn chopping wood next to the beginnings on what looked like a log cabin.

"…Finn?"

"Oh, heya, ma'am, thanks for putting me up last night. I'm just chopping some wood so's I can build a little log cabin to live in."

She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't still asleep while one of the candy people (since they had remained outside the house all that time) approached him.

"Hey, I'm Randy."

"Randy, wanna get dinner tonight?"

"Nah, I'm busy. I like to wonder at night. What's your name?"

"I'm Davey."

Flabbergasted Melissa finally found her voice again.

"Finn, what's going on?"

"You gotta start calling me Davey, ma'am. Because that's my name!"

"Have you lost your mind?!"

"Ma'am, I don't know nothing about that. I'm just a working Joe... trying to stake my claim... under the sun... and look out on the beautiful green fields called... life!"

Melissa turned to Jake.

"Was he like this earlier too?"

He nodded, still in shock. Randy and "Davey" went back to working on the cabin.

"Jake, we have to figure out a way to get Finn to act normal."

"Hmm…"

"Pew pew pew pew!"

They watched BMO running around playing Cops and Robbers with few candy people and a light bulb went off.

Jake changed into a costume and Melissa put on a mop and a tablecloth, pulling off a granny look. He menacingly approached her with his hand morphed into a hook.

"Ah! Give me the purse or feel my claw! The purse, now!"

"Oh! If only there was someone heroic to save this dear little defenseless old lady!"

"I'm a robber and I'm gonna rob this old lady's life! And there's nobody who can stop me. Unless there's a hero around here. Like there's someone here who is actually a hero in disguise. They can probably stop me."

Melissa whispered loudly to Finn.

"Come on, be a hero."

Finn disappeared into the log cabin and reappeared again soon after just the way he was before.

"I called the police."

"Wait, what?"

Banana Guards rushing in, cuffing Jake and hauling him off. Melissa frantically tried to stop them.

"Guys, it's not what it looks like! That guy isn't really named Davey. It's Finn! He brainwashed himself to become Davey and we were just trying to inspire him to go back to being Finn."

"Yeah, yeah. We heard that one before. Go back to the old folk's home."

She stared in disbelief as they carried him off muttering something about senile old women. Jake shouted back at Finn.

"Finn, don't let the dragon drag on, man. Don't let the dragon drag on!"

"Don't let the dragon... Jake!"

Finn jumped up and removed his mustache, holding it in his hand and talking to it.

"No more Davey."

"But you love being Davey."

"I do love being Davey, but being Davey caused Jake to get arrested."

"But remember that time when Davey sat in the park and saw some people walking around?"

"Yeah, that was nice."

"And remember that time when Davey swept the floors?"

"Yeah, that was great, too."

Melissa grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly.

"Finn PLEASE. You have to stop acting crazy! Jake needs you!"

"But do I really want to go back to being a famous hero? Why not just be Davey? A simple man... with simple goals and simple problems. I can just blend in and live the simple life."

"But you aren't Davey! You're Finn, and I know being a hero is hard but you're amazing at it. Do you remember what you told me after we buried my father? You said I don't have to face everything alone and to let my friends be there for me sometimes. We're here for you, Finn. We always will be. You don't need to hide from anything as long you have us to support you!"

"Melissa…"

Finn gently took her hands off of his shoulders.

"It's time for Davey to make his last appearance. Let's save Jake!"

Sticking his mustache back on they hurried to the Candy Kingdom. Melissa was instructed to wait outside in disguise in case he needed help while he grabbed Jake. A few minutes later a horse went galloping by, Finn's mustache on its butt and the guards in hot pursuit. Melissa face palmed. They were lucky the Banana Guards weren't too bright.

"Mel!"

Turning around she found Finn dressed normally.

"Where is?..."

He opened his shirt pocket.

"Oh. Hey, Jake. Welcome back."

Finn looked at Melissa gratefully.

"Thanks for what you said back there, Mel. I don't know what would have happened if I didn't have you."

She felt her heart rate quicken and tried not to show it.


	37. History Of Ooo

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Melissa put the history books she had brought here with her in her backpack. Finn, Jake, and Princess Bubblegum were all looking at her uncertainly.

"I know the Ice King has some answers to this dimensions history. I'd like to do some research on my theory."

"Theory?"

"Back in my dimension there is this theory that there are thousands of alternate realities in which different versions of ourselves are supposed to exist. Like, the timelines are similar and yet different in some way. I'm hoping to find some evidence."

Bubblegum nodded her approval.

"It is a noble endeavor. How are you going to convince him to let you look around though?"

"I'll figure something out. If I'm not home before dinner you guys can come looking for me."

Finn and Jake nodded. After that the two escorted her to the Ice Kingdom. She pulled her sweater on while Finn talked to her.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?"

"I think I'll get more information this way. Don't worry."

With that she began the trek into the Ice King's domain. She entered his castle and waited in the doorway.

"Ice King?"

She heard a crash in the kitchen.

"Huh? What? Princess?!"

He pulled the pot off of his head and held it timidly.

"P-princess? Why are you here?"

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor? Could it be…"

He blushed.

"…Whatever you're thinking, it isn't that."

"You didn't want-"

"I came because I believe you have some old papers or books that would be useful to me."

"Oh…I have some old stuff in the past room…"

"May I see it?"

"Wait, what's in this for me?"

"…What do you want?"

"Marriage."

"No."

"A kiss?"

"No."

"A date?"

"Only if it's in the form of a party and Finn and Jake are allowed to come."

"Hmmm…"

"I could just go."

"Ok! Ok! Fine. BUT I have one condition."

"What?"

"It is formal attire."

"…Fine. But I don't own a formal dress…"

"I dooooooooooo!"

"…Fantastic…"

After Ice King picked out a dress for her he finally showed her to the "past room". Once inside she began digging around, really only finding pointless stuff like an old kayak and a rubber band ball.

"Hello? What's this?"

She pulled a thick, bound journal out of an old desk and opened it up. The first page had writing hastily scribbled on it.

_I have decided to keep this journal to document the progression of change caused by the crown. I will keep it along with my videos in case I am unable to film more of them after this. –Simon Petrikov_

_October 15, 1962_

_After purchasing this crown from an old dock worker in northern Scandinavia, I brought it home and excitedly showed my fiancée Betty, and jokingly put it on my head just for a laugh...and that's when it started...The visions...I fought with them...Shouted at them until I realized it wasn't real—it was the crown! I quickly took it off...and saw my fiancée in front of me...looking at me with such contempt. What had I said? What had I done when I wore this crown? All I know is I never saw Betty again. The most I know is that she returned to the United States._

_October 20, 1962_

_I see the visions always whether or not I wear the crown. They tell me the secrets... the secrets of the ice and snow... that the power of the crown will save me with its frost. I don't yet know what this means. My skin is beginning to turn blue. My body temperature has been lowering at a supernatural rate, to what is now about 30°C. I don't know when it will end... I'm really scared..._

_October 23, 1962_

_Due to my predicament I had not been keeping track of current events. I have been living in Sweden for the past year doing research…but today I heard about it. All of the fears and tensions have come to a boil. The US and the Soviet Union have declared nuclear war. I have decided to save newspaper articles to document this war as well. Thankfully they sell English papers here._

Melissa's mouth went dry and she fought back nausea as she began looking through the articles. Her theory was right, the dimensions had a very similar timeline up until a certain point, but it was just different enough to manipulate history. In this case the drastic change was the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War.

In her textbook it said that President Kennedy created a naval blockade around the island, and in the end he and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ended the whole ordeal peacefully. However, based on the article headlines, things didn't go that way here…the titles were like watching a game of Pandemic.

_Crisis! Kennedy Bombs Cuba, Soviets In Uproar_

_War Declared, Troops Deployed_

_Nuclear Bombs Rain Down, Washington Destroyed_

_Tragedy! Off-Course Bomb Lands In France, Contact Lost_

_World War III Has Begun, Countries Scrambling To Find Alliances_

_Mutagenic Horrors, The US Has Fallen_

_Contact With Russia Lost_

_Mutated Creatures Ravage Australia, Declared Most Dangerous War Zone Yet_

_The Bombs Have Stopped, But The Radiation Has Not_

The rest of them seemed to have been torn out for some reason. It picked up again with Simon's writings.

_February 12, 1963_

_I, against my better judgment, have returned to the United States. It is mostly a wasteland now, but I heard stories that there are still living people here. They called me crazy when I left, and I'm starting to believe them. Maybe I should have gone to Iceland with the others…but something in my heart tells me that my Betty is alive. I must search for her._

_February 13, 1963_

_I have entered a deserted town in New Mexico. At least, I think I'm in New Mexico. It is hard to tell, everything is in shambles. I can feel myself slipping away…I should rest here._

_February 15, 1963_

_I know my mind is changing... but I'm already too far gone to know what to do. I want people to know that...if I do things...if I do things that hurt anyone, please...please forgive me. Just watch over me until I can find a way out of this labyrinth in my brain and regain my sanity! And then maybe Betty, my princess...my dear, wonderful princess…maybe you will love me again. Please love me again, Betty!_

_February 21, 1963_

_I lost myself for a while. The ruins of this town have completely iced over due to my bout of insanity. I need to keep moving if I want to search for Betty in Nevada. She would have gone there, her parents live there._


	38. Simon Petrikov

Melissa flipped through the next few pages. They were mostly just short writings about Simon's travels with the occasional crazy rant thrown in. Then she ran into something else interesting.

_March 7, 1963_

_Today I entered a city for the first time. I had been avoiding them due to architectural instability but I am running too low on food to pass up this chance. I could hear crying, but I thought it was all in my head. That was when I saw a little girl sobbing on the sidewalk. How had she survived this long? She was the only living person I have encountered since I returned here. She says her name is Marceline. I gave her a stuffed animal from a nearby shop to cheer her up._

_March 9, 1963_

_Marcy seems to be helping my condition. Now that I have someone to talk to I don't succumb to the voices as often as I had before. I think as long as I don't use the crown I should be ok. I have to be here for her. I'm all she has._

_March 10, 1963_

_Marcy had a bath today. We found an abandoned home that still had running water so she went upstairs to take a bath while I counted our rations. When she came back I realized her skin is normally that ashen color opposed to my original theory that she was just dirty from being alone so long. As much as I wonder what this pointy eared little girl is, I could care less as long as she is clean and fed._

_March 11, 1963_

_Today Marcy asked me where we were going and I realized I couldn't tell her. I know I'm looking for someone, but I can't remember who anymore. In my previous entries I talked about a Betty but I don't know who that is. I have to reread my journal often to remember things._

More of the pages were torn out after this, leaving a large gap. It picked up with more stories about Marceline until she reached a much more broken chapter.

_June 2, 19-_

_Gunter went home today. A man appeared out of nowhere, big and intimidating, and took her. He was gray and pointy eared like her, who was he? She called him daddy and tried to introduce me, but when he tried to take her I snapped. I guess I yelled, I'm not sure, but a lot of those creatures started attacking us. I fought them off to save Gunter, but when I turned around that man had taken her. I'm alone now._

_Jun-_

_I must find princess. My Princess. My Princess. My Princess._

_MaKing YoUr waY in tHe WORLD TodAY TakEs EverYTHIng YoU Got. MakIng SNOW WiTh aLL yOur WorriES SuRe would help A lot. wouldn't YoU lIKe tO FLY awAy. WhEre EveryBoDY KnoWS YoUr NAME._

The next few pages consisted of childlike scribbles depicting a snowy mountain and a penguin with "Gunter" written all around it in caps. Based on the fact that the Cheer's theme song had been written in and technology was much more advanced in the 1960's instead of coming about in the 1980's there were probably other considerably more dramatic changes in this dimension's history she may never uncover. However, this was all she wanted to know for now and probably all she would be able to uncover from the Ice King's damaged stash. There was one last thing though…

The opened her music history textbook and began flipping through it. It also had a little art and some other things in it but she was looking for something specific.

"I knew the name 'Simon Petrikov' sounded familiar!"

She looked at a picture in the margins showing a museum display. The caption read:

_Shown above is an image taken from the Petrikov Archeological Museum (Stockholm, Sweden) showing what is believed to be a Mayan bone flute. The museum was founded in 1978 by several of Simon Petrikov's peers with the aide of his wife, Elizabeth, and his three sons, who allowed the building to be built in order to showcase Petrikov's vast archeological collection. The museum is also known as the Golden Crown Museum after the museums prized displayed crown, the most mysterious and beautiful center piece in the collection._

This completed the other part of her theory. It meant that Simon existed in two realties, which indicated that some of the others may also exist in her dimension as well. Satisfied with her find she collected the journal and articles before she called out to Ice King to take her back to the front.

At his door he wiggled his eyebrows at her and she cringed.

"Don't be late!"


	39. Beneath The Silver Moon

Melissa had dreaded this day. Looking into the bathroom mirror she sighed and recalled the day she had done her research again…

She had returned from the Ice Kingdom and told Bubblegum what she had found before heading home with Finn and Jake.

"You look kind of down, Mel."

She looked up at Finn and sighed.

"The Ice King wanted something in return for allowing me to investigate his old papers…"

"Oh, did he…eww…"

Jake looked at her in disgust.

"You had your first ever kiss with the Ice King?! Over PAPERS?!"

"WHAT?! Eww, no! He's throwing a date party thing and I have to dress up and go."

"Man that stinks…"

"Yeah, and you two are going with me."

"Do we have to?..."

"Yes. I am not spending the afternoon alone with the Ice King."

She took one last look in the mirror before heading down to the living room. There she found Finn and Jake dressed in tuxedos. Finn looked at her and his eyes widened.

"Wow, Mel…You look…"

He seemed to be searching his brain for an appropriate word. Jake threw one out for him.

"Lovely?"

"Yeah! Mel, you look lovely."

Melissa felt a blush creeping over her cheeks. She had chosen the only normal looking dress Ice King owned, which turned out to be a knee length, simple black dress. It had a modest square neckline and fit her nicely. Her hair, with BMO's help, had been pulled up into a bun with the rest falling like an auburn curtain down her back.

"Oh, um, thank you."

She stammered awkwardly as they walked out the door. Her heels sank into the ground slightly as they walked to the Ice Kingdom.

"Heya guys! You all came, cool."

The Ice King shuffled them into his entryway. The party was in full swing, all the penguins dancing around together. Against the wall was a table with a large punch bowl and snacks on it, and across from it was Gunter controlling a boom box.

Ice King picked up a penguin and began dancing with it.

"Come on! Hit the dance floor!"

The three looked at each other awkwardly. Melissa felt a tug on her dress and looked down to see a penguin looking at her with huge, pleading eyes.

"Huh? O-oh…Uh, sure."

She picked it up and began dancing with it. She had to admit it was probably her cutest dance partner ever though.

"Goonter! I was supposed to have the princess's first dance! UGH!"

He threw down the penguin he was dancing with, causing it to slide across the room and trip Jake. He had also been awkwardly holding a penguin, which then went flying into the punch bowl. The Ice King lost it and angrily began shooting ice bolts everywhere, forcing Melissa, Finn, and Jake to flee in different directions.

Melissa found herself outside, her steps guided by the silvery moonlight pouring from the crescent moon.

"Well that was short lived."

Finn appeared around the corner. He had an icicle stuck to the ear of his hat.

"Yeah, I'm glad it's over. Could have gone without the insanity though. Hold still."

Reaching up she crumbled the ice off of Finn's hat, the two standing close together. Both jumped when a hole suddenly opened in the side of the mountain high above them and the boom box fell out, hanging from its cord tangled around a penguin.

Finn suddenly bowed to Melissa and held out his hand, speaking in an elaborately formal accent.

"May I have this dance princess?"

Melissa felt her cheeks heat up as she took his hand, the two beginning to dance. Neither were particularly good at it but the moment was almost like that of a movie.

"Hey, Mel?"

"Yes Finn?"

She felt her heart rocket into her throat at his voice.

"You know, I always feel comfortable around you. You must be, like, my second best bro. You're a good friend."

Second best bro…

She felt her heart do a U-turn and sink into the pits of her stomach.

"Haha, yeah…bro…"

"We should find Jake, I'm sure he's waiting for us."

Finn, completely oblivious, turned and began walking back around the mountain. Melissa just stood in place feeling chilled for the first time in a while. She sighed and decided it was time she admitted it to herself.

Somehow, in between the crazy adventures she went on with the boys in Ooo, she had managed to develop feelings for Finn. Finn, who was happily dating another girl and only acknowledged her as one of the guys.

All she could do was swallow her emotions and step aside graciously. With that thought she turned on her heel and began looking for Jake as well.


	40. NOTICE FROM THE AUTHOR

Hello everyone! I have come bearing good and bad news.

The bad news is I'm having some medical problems and am too swamped with college stuff to have enough free time to write more chapters, thus the reason this fic is on hiatus.

The good news is that there's only seven weeks of classes left. Yay! So I should be writing again by the end of April at the latest. Mel will not be abandoned! I put too much work into her dammit!

I have a bad (good?) habit of putting insane amounts of time into some of these chapters, since I have to find transcripts for the episode related ones, re-watch episodes, etc etc. I'm afraid the story quality would drop if I tried to cram it into my schedule, so I figured I would just have to wait.

I'm really sorry guys, I'll try to pick it back up as soon as possible. I am working on a shorter, less time consuming fanfiction at the moment to keep myself sane though. Don't know if I'll post it or not, but if you happen to be a Hetalia fan with a thing for Germany I may have something posted for you soon. Since I'm not a big fan of the series I'm mostly running off of feedback I'm getting, which is why I don't know if it will be posted or not. And for future reference (because I know the question will pop up) no, it isn't a yaoi pairing. It's a pairing with one of my female OC's.

Well, my wonderful readers, that is all I have to tell you for now. Once again I apologize for the long wait but I should be back in full force soon. At the moment, however, I will be staring at my pile of assignments and wondering why I do this to myself.

It's homework time. Bleh.


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